NAIROBI, Kenya — National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss has defended the high expenditure reported in the office of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, arguing that top executive leaders must travel extensively to oversee government projects.
Her remarks come amid growing scrutiny over the Deputy President’s office after disclosures that it spent approximately Sh153.6 million on helicopter travel within just 75 days.
Speaking on Citizen TV, the Uasin Gishu Woman Representative said both the President and Deputy President are constitutionally obligated to move across the country to monitor development initiatives, adding that the focus should be on value for money rather than the absolute figures.
“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.
Boss maintained that Parliament’s role is to scrutinise whether public funds are used prudently during the budget-making and oversight process.
“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 added.
However, the spending has drawn sharp criticism from a section of lawmakers. Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji argued that the expenditure reflects wasteful use of public resources, suggesting the funds could be redirected to essential public services.
“This money can go to better use… We need to crack down on government hiring choppers. It is what is inflating these budgets,” he said.
Eldas MP Adan Keynan urged caution, calling for a verified report from the Public Accounts Committee before concluding, and described some of the claims as potentially sensationalised.
The controversy follows a grilling of officials from the Deputy President’s office by the Public Accounts Committee over pending bills amounting to Sh478 million for the 2024/25 financial year.
Legislators also questioned reports of daily helicopter expenditure reaching up to Sh8 million, with Sh150 million owed specifically for chopper services.
The issue is further compounded by data from the Controller of Budget indicating that the office had already spent 91 percent (Sh2.7 billion) of its allocated budget within 6 months, with a significant portion classified as non-specific expenditure.
Despite the concerns, Parliament recently approved an additional Sh450 million for the Deputy President’s office under Supplementary Estimates I for the 2025/26 financial year.
