Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has lifted the lid on the opulence of top government officials that necessitated executive action to cap foreign travel to forty-five days per year.
Speaking at State House Nairobi on Tuesday where President William Ruto presided over a performance contract signing, Gachagua said some Cabinet Secretaries had become notoriously absent in the country taking foreign trips at the slightest opportunity.
“Some members of the executive were literally changing at the airport having arrived from one trip going for yet another one,” the Deputy President said.
Gachagua cautioned top officials against extending the political friendship they enjoy with the President to matters of the State saying the Head of State would act decisively with no regard to political consideration.
“Those of us who started the journey with the President in politics, myself having done so about twenty years ago, must realize the moment he appointed us to his team he opened a new chapter,” he said.
The DP rebuked Cabinet Secretaries for doing little to engage with the public on government programmes.
“Some of you even turn down media interviews,” he remarked.
Gachagua advised members of the executive to align with President Ruto’s approach of grassroots engagements and designate foreign engagements to Kenya’s ambassadors.
45-day limit
Ruto’s new directive capped the number of aides accompanying Cabinet Secretaries on foreign trips to a maximum of three.
“Travel requests for all Cabinet secretaries, Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS), Principal Secretaries (PS), chairpersons and chief executive officers of State corporations shall be sanctioned directly by the President himself,” the circular dated July 29 read in part.
The circular further limited staff accompanying other senior officials except for executives with special needs including persons with disabilities.
The directive excluded Deputy President and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
The circular further directed head of delegations to only include the most relevant aides deemed crucial to support them their oversees travel.
“Delegations should include the most relevant technical persons to assist the principal in the meetings, deliberations, or presentations related to travel,” the circular read.
