List Of Governors Who Spent Over KSh 100m To Run Their Offices In 2023/2024 FY First Quarter

• Between July and September 2023, county bosses allocated exorbitant sums towards opulent furnishings and unnecessary amenities for their own offices
• Baringo governor Benjamin Cheboi incurred a substantial expense of KSh 760.49 million in managing the operations of his office
• The second-highest spender among the 47 governors was Kitui's Julius Malombe who gobbled KSh 382.3 million

TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto brings over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

A new report has shown that at least eight governors spent over KSh 100 million to run their offices in the first quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year.

Controller of Budget (CoB) Margaret Nyakang'o exposed the extravagance of some governors who prioritised lavish expenditures on their offices at the expense of development initiatives.

While Kenyans at the grassroots level clamoured for improved infrastructure, healthcare, and education, the said county bosses allocated exorbitant sums towards opulent furnishings and unnecessary amenities for their offices.

The county chiefs spent a whopping KSh 2.16 billion during the period under review, accounting for 16.1% of the total expenditure.

1. How much did Benjamin Cheboi spend?

Baringo governor Benjamin Cheboi incurred a substantial expense of KSh 760.49 million in managing the operations of his office.

The CoB report indicated that KSh 511 million was used to pay salaries, general administration, and operations.

During the three months, the county allocated only KSh 22 million for development.

The County Public Service Board and the Department of Agriculture did not report any expenditure.

2. Kitui's Julius Malombe expenditure

The second-highest spender among the 47 governors was Kitui's Julius Malombe, who gobbled KSh 382.3 million.

This represented 20.4% of the KSh 1.87 billion the county's executive spent.

Malombe spent six times more to run his office than the county's development expenditure.

3. Nandi's Stephen Sang

Nandi governor Stephen Sang was another county boss who focused heavily on the operations of his office over essential development initiatives.

Sang, serving his second and final term, spent KSh 170.8 million to run his office, as reported by Daily Nation.

Between July and September 2023, Nandi allocated KSh 122.8 million to development, with Sang's expenditure on his office surpassing the KSh 106 million spent on agriculture.

4. Susan Kihika - Nakuru

In Nakuru, Susan Kihika was another United Democratic Alliance (UDA) governor who spent more on her personal office's expenses, exceeding the budgets of trade, lands and agriculture combined.

Kihika and her deputy spent KSh 127.68 million to run their offices.

5. Other governors

Other governors who spent more than KSh 100 million on their offices were Mohamed Khalif (Mandera) - KSh 115.65 million and Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay) - KSh 109.42 million.

Marsabit in the northeastern region spent KSh 102.47 million on 'county executive services'.

The county chiefs used the money for office supplies, hospitality and other luxuries.

Which counties spent the least on governor offices?

On a positive note, some governors spent less than 2% of their budgets to run their offices.

Among them were Kwale (0.4%), Vihiga (1.8%), Turkana (1.12%), Siaya (1.8%), Kakamega and Nairobi (1%), Meru (1.7%), Machakos (1.55%) and Laikipia (1.2%).

Overall, counties spent KSh 6.9 billion on development while funding governor and deputy governor offices took KSh 3.4 billion.

Which counties spent zero on development?

Under governor Johson Sakaja, Nairobi spent KSh 176 million on domestic travel, KSh 51.8 million on fuel, KSh 28 million on hospitality and KSh 11.9 million on foreign trips.

Besides Nairobi, other counties that spent zero on development were Embu (Cecily Mbarire), Homa Bay (Gladys Wanga), Kericho (Eric Mutai), Kilifi (Gideon Mung'aro) and Machakos (Wavinya Ndeti).

The list also included Samburu (Jonathan Lati Leleliit), Turkana (Jeremiah Lomorukai), Wajir (Ahmed Abdullahi) and West Pokot (Simon Kachapin).

"Counties incurred KSh 41.79 billion (69% of the total recurrent expenditure) on personnel emoluments and KSh 18.76 billion (31% of the total recurrent expenditure) on operations and maintenance," the report stated.