The Kenya Kwanza government has suspended all non-essential travel for state officers.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei in a letter on Monday October 2, said the move is part of realizing prudent and responsible utilization of public money.
He noted that delegations involving Cabinet and Principal Secretaries and governors will henceforth be restricted to a maximum of three people.
“Delegations headed by Cabinet Secretaries shall not exceed three persons including the Cabinet Secretary as Head of Delegation (1+2),” he said.
Koskei explained that where the CS is to be accompanied, at least one of the delegates shall be a technical officer specialised in the subject matter of the foreign engagement and shall be with no security or personal assistants.
The State House Chief of Staff directed that CSs and PSs in the same ministries are not to be abroad on overseas travel at the same time unless the foreign engagement specifically requires it.
The government at the same time halted all travel authorizations currently provided by Principal Secretaries and Chief Executive Officers to employees of their respective agencies.
“Delegations accompanying the President, the First Lady, the Deputy President, and the Prime Cabinet Secretary shall strictly be approved for officials playing a direct role in the scheduled activities/programme of the principals,” Koskei said in the letter.
The government further suspended benchmarking and study visits as well as training and related capacity-building initiatives.
“Sponsored events which often attract the need for supplementation in terms of quarter per diem and ticket upgrade are similarly suspended, except where the invitees expressly waive the anticipated top-up amount,” he added.
Meanwhile the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been asked to rationalize and reduce the number of staff accompanying each of the principals by half, as well as limit the time of travel to seven days inclusive of travel dates.
