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Kenya’s president clarifies alleged $1.5 million historic trip to the US
President of Kenya, William Ruto, has refuted claims that he spent over Ksh200 million ($1.5 million) on his recent visit to the United Stated of America.
Kenyan President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto arrive in Washington, D.C. in the United States of America on May 22, 2024 during the historic visit. PCS
President of Kenya, William Ruto, has refuted claims that he spent over Ksh200 million ($1.5 million) on his recent visit to the United Stated of America.
“People have given all manner of figures…that the plane cost Sh200 million because the President needed to arrive in style holding Rachel’s hand. You know I’m a very responsible citizen, believe me, there is no way I can spend Sh200 million. In fact, let me disclose here that it cost the Republic of Kenya less than Sh10 million,” he said.
According to the president, he is a responsible citizen adding that some “friends of Kenya” co-sponsored the trip when he offered to travel on the national carrier Kenya Airways.
Ruto was speaking during the annual National Prayer Breakfast at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi on Thursday, May, 30.
He said that when he found out that the least expensive chartered trip would cost Ksh70 million ($538,000), he told his officials to book him on Kenya Airways.
President Ruto further disclosed that “When some of my friends heard that I was going to travel on Kenya Airways, they asked me how much I was ready to pay and said not more than Ksh20 million, they told me to pay only Ksh10 million to get the plane”.
He however did not disclose the identity of those friends.
His statement came after several concerned residents and opposition Azimio leaders, led by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, questioned the reasoning behind his plea for Kenyans to “cut their coats according to their cloth”.
“It doesn’t matter what the President brings back to the country. The Ksh200 million is not pocket change. This is pure wastage,” Mr Musyoka is reported to have said in The EastAfrican.
