Baringo members of the county assembly (MCAs) spent the most on foreign travel at Sh183.3 million in the three months to September.

Data from the Controller of Budget (CoB) shows that on average, each of the 46 MCAs spent Sh415,652 followed by Nairobi’s (Sh397,656) and Kirinyaga’s (Sh397,058) during the period.

The spending comes amid a fresh austerity push demanding that before MCAs travelling abroad for seminars, tours or conferences, they must write a statement on how it will benefit the county.

Cutting spending on non-essentials like catering and travel is aimed at lowering the wage burden so as to free resources for development projects.

The Nairobi county assembly with 128 MCAs gobbled up Sh50.9 million in the three months to September followed by Baringo at Sh19.1 million and Kirinyaga at Sh13.5 million.

Other top spenders on foreign trips during the review period were Samburu’s 28 MCAs with each spending an average of Sh341,428 and Meru’s 69 ward representatives who spent Sh155,072 each.

Busia, Embu, Garissa, Homa Bay, Kajiado, Vihiga, Kakamega and Kitui are among 17 counties whose MCAs did not spend a cent on foreign trips in the three months.

Others that had nil expenses on foreign travel include Kwale, Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir, Migori, Mombasa, Muranga, Taita Taveta and Tana River.

About 15 counties on average spent less than Sh100,000 per MCA on foreign trips.

Overall, MCAs and County executives spent Sh2.6 billion on travel, with Sh340.94 million being on foreign travel.

The MCAs and governors have demanded that Devolution PS Charles Sunkuli withdraws the October 5, 2018 guidelines restricting their travel abroad terming the rules unreasonable.

The guidelines aimed at reducing the recurrent expenditure, streamline and harmonise foreign travel across the public service, came amid a fiscal deficit gap and pressure to repay foreign loans.