Editor's Review

President Ruto on Saturday limited foreign travel for Executive officials to 45 days per year.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has shed more light on President William Ruto's move to limit foreign travel for senior government officials.

Speaking on Tuesday, August 1 during the signing of performance contracts by Cabinet Secretaries at State House, Gachagua said the President was forced to limit foreign travel because the CSs could not regulate themselves.

The second in command pointed out that it was difficult to hold cabinet committees sometimes due to cabinet secretaries being out of the country.

“Last week you took a decision to limit foreign trips to a certain number in a year which is very unfortunate, that should not have been the case people should have regulated themselves to travel when it is necessary. But because of the opulence that all ministers and Principal Secretaries were out of the country most of the time, the president had to put a stop,” said Gachagua.

He added, “At times, we have tried to hold cabinet committees but we can’t, ministers are out of the country some change clothes at the airport from one country to another.”



Gachagua urged the CSs to regulate themselves and leave other events to Ambassadors who are stationed in various countries.

“You just have to decide what is useful and other things you can leave to the Ambassadors who are out of the country,” Gachagua stated.

File image of President William Ruto at JKIA. 

President Ruto in a memo on Saturday, July 29 limited the foreign travels to seven days a week, fifteen days per quarter, and forty-five days per year.

“Cabinet Secretaries, Chief Administrative Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of State Corporations shall attend only policy related meetings and events or events that have a bearing on policy, and be out of country for no more than seven working days excluding travel dates,” the memo read in part.

The president has entrusted the Alfred Mutua-led Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assess and approve the officials' foreign travel.