Lusaka responds to reports of overspending on travelling

By Peter Ochieng

Bungoma governor Kenneth Makelo Lusaka has responded to reports of overspending on travelling, attributed to the Controller of Budget (COB).

The COB report named Bungoma among counties with high expenditure on local travel.

Lusaka during a talk-show on one of the vernacular Radio Stations said the 600 million shillings mentioned included operational and recurrent expenditure; catering for fuel and repairs for county vehicles, travel expenses for the county assembly, travel allowances for public during public participation among a host of other expenses.

“The reporting is exaggerated by indicating that the amount was solely for travel expenditure which is completely outrageous and practically impossible, even if I had to travel daily throughout the year,” he said.

He further faulted the report for alleging that the expenditure was for the period of financial year 2022/23, yet it had also catered for pending bills from financial year 2021/22.

“A large part of the expenditure went to pending bills from the previous regime which we had no option as a government but pay; when we came in, almost all vehicles were grounded in garages and needed repairs.”

"For example, when the COB says Bungoma has spent Sh696 million on local travel, and fails to tell the public that the said amount also includes the cost of repairing vehicles, fuel, and payment of pending bills from the previous administration among other costs, then that is misleading,” added the governor.

He revealed plans to hire 200 more Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers, besides promoting others.

“We have good plans for our learners right from the foundation. We are building more classrooms as we employ more teachers. I am happy we have streamlined the scholarship program; my next agenda is equipping the vocational centers to give youths skills that can make them self-employable.”

As a county, he added that they are putting up mitigation measures in prepares for the onset of El Nino rains.