Acting Controller of Budget (CoB) Stephen Masha, on Tuesday, September 18, reported a 35-fold increase in the entertainment budget under Fred Matiangi's Interior ministry.
The report revealed that his ministry increased spending on parties and receptions in the 2018/19 period to Ksh3.78 billion compared to only Ksh106.4 million spent in a similar period a year earlier.
Masha also reported an increase in expenditure on hospitality for the ministries, state departments and agencies spiked by 52 percent to Ksh9.8 billion.
This is in stark contrast with the 2017/18 expenditure during which only Ksh4.7 billion was spent on hospitality, the Daily Nation reported.
The Presidency, which consists of the offices of the president and his deputy, increased their entertainment budget to Ksh2 billion from Ksh1.4 billion a year earlier.
Masha's latest report comes at a time when the Treasury is keen on freeing up cash for development and essential services such as health and education.
The Treasury had announced what it called “brutal” cuts to spending, including on government officials’ foreign trips to curb the rising recurrent expenditure.
The jet-setting trend of top officials has been criticised due to their huge delegations.
In August, AU Envoy, Raila Odinga, fiercely criticised the huge expenditures by 95 legislators who travelled to the US, at an estimated cost of Ksh100 million.
