President Uhuru Kenyatta’s austerity plan took a backseat in the 12 months to June, as his office and MPs splurged taxpayers’ money on foreign trips.

A new report from the Office of Controller of Budget shows that the Presidency –­ which includes the offices of the Head of State (pictured) and his deputy –­ spent Sh197 million on foreign trips, nearly double what it spent on such travels in the previous financial year.

Members of the National Assembly – whose recent trip to the US ignited public anger – used Sh1.6 billion on overseas trips, more than double the Sh719 million they spent on the item in the 2017/18 financial year.