On November 1st 2022, the Kenya Kwanza administration prohibited State officials from holding meetings in five-star hotels, saying the directive was part of new austerity measures announced by President Ruto to cut non-plan expenditures by State departments.
The government through the National Treasury directed all official meetings to be held in boardrooms of government offices and departments, and not the usual five-star hotels as has been with previous administrations.
However, two months later, the Ruto administration is going against its own ban to hold its first cabinet retreat in Nyeri at the Fairmont Mt Kenya Safari Club, one of Kenya’s most expensive Five Star hotels. Billionaire Humphrey Kariuki, a close Ruto associate owns the establishment.
The 2022 November directive reads in part:
“The National Treasury has complied with the requirement and this constrained the financial year 2022-23 budget. Subsequently, it has become inevitable to cut down on some activities and effect the following control measures to manage expenditures.”
Among the measures, the directive will see meetings and task force engagements held in boardrooms, new training approvals suspended, requisition of lunches limited, and approvals for workshops and retreats suspended.
“All directorates, departments and units are, therefore, requested to comply to ensure no commitments are made without supporting funding in line in line with the Public Finance Management Act and its supporting regulations,” said the National Treasury.
