The presidency wants an additional Sh725 million for the hospitality budget.
The cash demand suggests President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have defied austerity orders issued by the National Treasury to cut down on the budget for hospitality –State receptions, State parties, snacks and beverages at State House, for the Cabinet, and at the Office of the Deputy President and his official residence.
The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) is upset that while the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury Henry Rotich is busy raising money, cutting down unnecessary spending and trying to induce fiscal discipline in the Executive, his bosses were the first to flout the austerity orders issued with their blessings.
"Accounting Officers were required to have budget cuts in these categories due to slowdown in economic activities and non-realisation of projected revenues. However, it is noted that some agencies have their estimates increased despite a Treasury circular requiring all agencies to adopt austerity measures in the aforementioned vote lines," said the budget office in an advisory to MPs on the Supplementary Budget.
The PBO, which is a team of economists, fiscal analysts and tax experts domiciled within Parliament buildings, said the bulk of the Sh725 million increase in the hospitality budget was earmarked for the Cabinet Office. The amount for hospitality for the Cabinet Office is Sh243.9 million.
In its defence, State House said that it had a busy year hosting dignitaries, and that some of the trips into the country of the international guests had not been budgeted for.
According to the Administration Secretary John Makumi, Kenya's State House spent Sh115 million of taxpayers' money to host Pope Francis for three days last year.
The money was diverted from other programmes with the permission of the Treasury, and now State House wants MPs to replenish the programmes whose funds were diverted.
"The Pope's visit was not foreseen. But of course we had to host the Pope that is why we requested for more money," said Makumi at a meeting with the National Assembly's Committee on Administration and National Security.
