President William Ruto has established a dedicated team to address the array of retirement benefits issues highlighted by the Office of the Fourth President, Uhuru Kenyatta.
Headed by Felix Koskei, the Head of Public Service, the team has been tasked with promptly resolving all raised concerns, including matters pertaining to the location of the retired President’s office and the necessary staff allocation.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed revealed that President Ruto took this decisive step following a direct conversation with former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The discussions are centered on the pressing need to ensure the smooth facilitation of functions within the retired President’s office, prompting Ruto to take swift action by constituting the expert team.
Word from the Office of Uhuru Kenyatta
In a candid address to the press, Kanze Dena, spokesperson for former President Uhuru Kenyatta, shed light on the ongoing challenges faced by Kenyatta’s retired office, revealing a stark disparity between promised retirement benefits and the reality of their implementation.
Dena expressed concern over the inadequate provision of benefits to Kenyatta’s office, despite the existence of allocations in the national budget.
“Only a fraction of the allocated funds for the office has been utilized, leaving a substantial portion unaccounted for, and there is no fully furnished and maintained office space, so we urgently need resolution from State House.”
One of the key grievances outlined by Dena was the failure to provide new vehicles in accordance with the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act.
Kenyatta’s office has been allocated older vehicles, which is contrary to the stipulated provisions, and it’s crucial to adhere to the legal framework governing retirement benefits for former presidents.”
Additionally, Dena addressed the cancellation of fuel cards issued by the government, resulting in Kenyatta personally covering fuel expenses for his vehicles.
“This development has further exacerbated the financial strain on Kenyatta’s office, highlighting the urgent need to resolve the outstanding issues in a timely manner.”
Moreover, Dena highlighted the lack of facilitation for Kenyatta’s official foreign trips, despite his active engagement in diplomatic initiatives. This discrepancy contradicted previous statements by State House officials regarding the extent of support provided to Kenyatta’s office.
