Neglected envoy homes cost Kenya Sh1.9bn in rent

Taxpayers spent Sh1.9 billion in rent for Kenyan diplomats over the nine months to September in top cities like London, Washington and New York who have been forced to rent homes as their State-owned residences fall apart due to neglect.

Controller of Budget indicates the Foreign Affairs ministry spending on rent has more than doubled over the past five years, highlighting the pricey cost of leasing space in western capitals.

The ministry accounted for 35 per cent of the Sh5.3 billion the government spent on rent for offices and homes in the nine months, pushing the Treasury to announce the State would re-negotiate its leasing cost to bring down rental budget.

Auditor-General Edward Ouko’s audit paints a sorry state of affairs in the country’s foreign missions and singled out the Kenyan Embassy in Washington DC, New York and London — which are the most prestigious diplomatic missions.

This has forced the diplomats to rent homes in some of the world’s pricey cities, pushing leasing costs up from Sh788 million spent on rent in the nine months to September 2015.

“No proper justification has been given for leasing residential houses considering that the Government of Kenya has houses for the ambassadors in New York and London except for failure to maintain these properties in habitable conditions,” said Mr Ouko.