Nairobi, June 18 -- State House spending on foreign travel surpassed Sh1 billion in the nine months to March 2026, marking a record expenditure and underscoring the burden on taxpayers from increased trips abroad.

A budget review by the Controller of Budget shows that State House spent Sh1.27 billion on foreign travel in the nine months to March this year, eight times the Sh146.5 million spent in the corresponding period a year earlier. It is the first time State House expenditure on foreign travel has crossed the Sh1 billion mark.

The surge in spending comes at a time when President William Ruto visited destinations including Washington DC, London, Tokyo, the Gulf region and several African countries.

Dr Ruto's foreign trips involve l...