This archive report was first published on 7 August 2019.
On August 7, 2019, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga expressed his concerns over the high number of Kenyan legislators attending the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) in Nashville, Tennessee.
Kenya sent an 85-man team, comprising of both Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate, MPs, Senators, MCAs, clerks, and support staff, which is expected to cost taxpayers millions of shillings.
According to estimates, the trip could cost more than Sh100 million, with each legislator's airfare ranging from Sh355,000 to Sh587,000, depending on the class of travel.
Speakers of Parliament receive a daily subsistence allowance of Sh75,000, MPs receive Sh65,000, and MCAs receive Sh42,600, according to the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA).
Kenya's delegation is the largest amongst the countries represented in the US conference, with Nigeria following closely with 20 representatives.
