Donkey
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The Kenyan government has introduced a bold strategy in response to soaring fuel costs, which have escalated to Sh14.3 billion.
As part of its 2024 draft policy, the administration is exploring the adoption of alternative transportation methods such as donkeys, camels, horses, and electric vehicles to curb public spending. With the national budget currently set at Sh 182.7 billion as of July 2024, a considerable share is allocated for interest payments, salaries, pensions, and operational expenses. This innovative policy intends to alleviate financial burdens by imposing restrictions on the utilization of government vehicles by parastatal managers and independent commissioners.
The frequent sighting of government vehicles parked at leisure venues has fueled public discontent amid an environment of rising taxes and stagnant wages for the average Kenyan. The government has acknowledged a significant shortcoming in its management of public resources: it lacks a comprehensive inventory of its vehicle fleet, including their number, condition, and make. The ostentatious use of government convoys, often accompanied by chase cars and bodyguards, has come to symbolize wastefulness during austere economic times.
Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury John Mbadi emphasizes that the policy aims to enhance fleet management across ministries, departments, agencies, and counties (MDACs). This draft seeks to address critical issues such as mismanagement, inefficiency, high operational costs, and environmental concerns. One key proposal includes encouraging the use of private vehicles for official duties while implementing geo-fencing and tracking technologies to improve oversight.
The draft policy articulates that it is "developed against a backdrop of tight fiscal space and the austerity measures designed by the government in response to emerging expenditure pressures and economic shocks." To address these challenges, the government plans to phase out its fuel-consuming fleet in favour of electric vehicles and utilize livestock such as donkeys, camels, and horses. Historically, government entities in Kenya have grappled with poor fleet management, characterized by insufficient regulations, high maintenance costs, and inefficiencies.
Numerous vehicles lack proper records and remain abandoned in government garages, ultimately leading to inadequate service delivery and squandering of public resources. The 2024 Government Transport Policy aims to reduce carbon emissions, enhance cost-efficiency, and improve service delivery. If ratified, this policy could lead to officials utilizing alternative forms of transportation as a means to diminish fuel consumption and optimize government transport services.
Fuel expenditures have surged from Sh 8.6 billion in 2021 to Sh 14.3 billion in 2023, with the current budget for fleet management amounting to Sh 12.2 billion. Despite these inflated costs, many government vehicles remain underutilized, resulting in substantial expenses related to maintenance, licensing, insurance, and storage, further straining financial resources. Efforts to implement vehicle tracking and fuel logging in certain agencies, like the National Police Service, have encountered challenges due to the absence of real-time tracking and geo-referencing, enabling unchecked misuse of vehicles.
In contrast to nations where senior officials might opt for cycling or public transport, Kenyan officials often rely on costly fleets, frequently protected by security details. Poor oversight has resulted in numerous vehicles being abandoned in government garages, with some mysteriously disappearing.
Additionally, the policy targets the high number of unserviceable government vehicles lacking proper ownership documentation. Many of these vehicles are left in poor repair conditions due to negligence, leading to financial losses.
Furthermore, the absence of a clear framework for the disposal of ageing assets has resulted in occupied space and a drain on fiscal resources.
A significant hurdle facing the government is the lack of a centralized agency designed to oversee the procurement, maintenance, and disposal of state vehicles. This failure to track assets has led to inefficiency and unnecessary expenditures.