President William Ruto on Thursday defended himself over his recent state visit to the United States.
This comes after Ruto departed Kenyan shores for the states with a privately charted Boeing 737-700, allegedly operated by the prestigious Royal Jet of Dubai.
The cost of this opulent journey, spanning from Nairobi to Atlanta and onward to Washington D.C ., was purported to have depleted taxpayers’ funds by approximately Ksh.98 million, with projections suggesting a round trip expense exceeding Ksh.200 million.
“I am an extremely conscientious steward. Trust me when I say, there is no chance I would ever sanction an expenditure of Ksh.200 million. The total cost of the Republic of Kenya was less than Ksh.10 million. I assure you, I am not a spindrift,” Ruto asserted.
Ruto recounted that upon learning of the Ksh.70 million price tag for the most economical option, he instructed his office to arrange travel via Kenya Airways.
He mentions that upon hearing of his choice, acquittances, acknowledging his stature as a national figure, inquired about his budget. He recalled responding that he was unwilling to exceed Ksh.20 million, to which they offered a plane of Ksh.10 million.
“Direct your attention to me, fellow Kenyans, and please take this carefully. I am committed to setting an example by leading from the forefront. While I advocate for austerity measures, I must lead by personal example. Therefore, let’s put this debate to rest,” Ruto stated.
According to Ruto, his plan is that in 3 years is that Kenya to have a balanced budget.
After arriving back in Kenya on May 25th following a week-long journey, Ruto tried to address concerns regarding his travel costs, asserting that the expense of the travel jet was more economical compared to utilizing Kenya’s national carrier, Kenya Airways (KQ).
