The government suspended all non-essential travel for government officials in a move aimed at regulating public spending.
In a circular issued on Monday, October 2 by the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, the government also announced restrictions on delegations accompanying the President, Deputy President, First Lady, and Prime Cabinet Secretaries for foreign trips.
According to the notice, the suspended non-essential travels include benchmarking, study visits, pieces of training, and related capacity-building initiatives as well as research, academic meetings, and symposia.
Others include conferences and meetings of general participation, side events such as showcase events and exhibitions as well as caucus and association meetings and events.
“In this respect, foreign travel will only be facilitated for engagements in which the Government of Kenya’s participation is; part of fulfilment of state obligations, and pursuant to the conduct of critical state party engagements; and for the purpose of fulfilling a statutory leadership or membership role, in which critical decisions impacting on the country’s position are under consideration,” read the notice.
The Head of Public Service made it clear that delegations accompanying CSs will not exceed three persons while delegations headed by Principal Secretaries, shall not exceed two persons.
“Where the Cabinet Secretary is to be accompanied, at least one (1) of the delegates shall be a technical officer specialized in the subject matter of the foreign engagement, with no security or personal assistants/logistics officers other than as exempted,” he insisted.
“It is reiterated that Cabinet and Principal Secretaries in the same ministries shall not be away on foreign travel at the same time unless the foreign engagement expressly demands the same,” added Koskei.
Delegations headed by County Governors will not exceed three people.
