A new report from the Controller of Budget has exposed how county governments across Kenya are wasting public money.
Counties are spending far too much on allowances, local and international travel, conferences, and high salaries. Many are going over the legal limit of 35 percent of their revenue on wages and staff costs.
In some cases, they reach 44 percent. This leaves very little for important needs like roads, health facilities, water, and other services that Kenyans depend on.Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga stands out in the report.
Her county spent Sh219.82 million on domestic travel with no budget set aside for foreign trips. This is a huge amount for one year.
The money went on trips within the country, yet many residents still wait for better roads, reliable health care, and clean water.
At the same time, questions keep coming up about other spending in the county. There are reports of stalled projects, unpaid workers, and concerns over hospital revenue running into hundreds of millions.
The Controller of Budget’s findings are clear. County leaders are using public funds for travel and staff perks instead of delivering services.
In Homa Bay, the focus on domestic travel at this scale raises serious questions about priorities.
While the governor and her team move around, development work lags behind. Projects that should improve lives are delayed or incomplete.
People in the county continue to face poor infrastructure and weak health services.
This pattern is not unique to Homa Bay, but the figures for Wanga’s administration are striking.
Sh219 million on local travel is money that could have gone to fixing hospitals, building roads, or supporting farmers and fishers who form the backbone of the local economy.
The report warns that such spending leaves counties with little to show for the billions they receive from the national government.
Kenyans expect county leaders to manage funds carefully and deliver results. When travel costs balloon while core services suffer, it points to misplaced priorities.
The people of Homa Bay deserve better. They need leaders who put development first, not endless movement that delivers little visible change on the ground.
The Controller of Budget has sounded the alarm. It is now up to county assemblies, the national government, and citizens to demand accountability. Public money must serve the public, not become a tool for high spending on allowances and travel.
In Homa Bay, Gladys Wanga’s administration must explain how these travel costs translate into real benefits for ordinary residents.
Without clear answers and real change, the spending spree will continue to hurt the very people it is supposed to help.
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