Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s spending on air travel has triggered a fresh standoff in Parliament, with Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei defending the costly trips as necessary for running government operations across the country.
The debate follows details presented to lawmakers showing that Sh153.6 million was used on helicopter travel within 75 days in a year by the Deputy President’s office, a figure that has drawn both concern and support from different quarters of the House.
Boss argued that the nature of the country’s leadership demands constant movement, saying it would be unrealistic to expect the President and his deputy to supervise projects from Nairobi alone.
“The President and the DP are obligated to travel across the country and follow up on ongoing projects. They cannot be holed up in the city and purport to be the president,” she said during an interview with Citizen TV on Monday.
She stressed that Parliament should focus on examining whether public funds are properly used, rather than placing emphasis on the figures involved, noting that oversight begins during budget approval.
“All Parliament needs to do is to deliberate with them at the budget-making process, as long as the money is put to good use, it is not about the amount. You need to ask whether good use was put to Sh154 million. If they can justify that it was the most efficient and cheap way, then it is okay," she said.
The remarks come amid growing scrutiny of the Deputy President’s office after the Public Accounts Committee flagged pending bills amounting to Sh478 million owed to suppliers and service providers for the 2024/25 financial year.
At the same time, lawmakers have raised concerns over the high cost of helicopter services, with some reports indicating daily expenses of up to Sh8 million and outstanding payments of about Sh150 million tied to similar travel.
Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji faulted the spending, saying the funds could be redirected to more pressing needs and questioning the impact of the frequent trips.
“This money can go to better use. If you look at his schedule, you'll see a trend of just moving around and nothing much to show for it. We need to crack down on government hiring choppers. It is what is inflating these budgets. They should move using roads,” he said.
On his part, Eldas MP Adan Keynan urged restraint, saying the matter should be handled through proper parliamentary review before conclusions are drawn.
The discussion comes just days after MPs approved an additional Sh450 million for the Deputy President’s office under Supplementary Estimates I for the 2025/26 financial year, further drawing attention to its rising expenditure.
A report by the Controller of Budget showed that the office had already spent 91 per cent of its Sh2.7 billion allocation in less than six months, with 54 per cent classified under non-classified expenses.
The revelations have intensified pressure on the office to explain its spending patterns, even as leaders maintain that travel remains a key part of delivering government programmes and ensuring projects are on track.
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