In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…
- US Ambassador Meg Whitman clarified that President Ruto and his delegation paid for their travel to the US, while the US government covered their expenses during the visit.
- Ruto defended his use of a chartered jet, claiming it was more cost-effective than Kenya Airways, costing the country Ksh.10 million instead of the rumored Ksh.200 million.
US Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, provided insights into the protocols and arrangements for President William Ruto’s State visit to the United States in May.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s The Explainer Show, Whitman outlined the diplomatic procedures, emphasizing that both the Kenyan and US governments played distinct roles in the process.
Whitman explained that President Ruto and his delegation arranged and funded their travel to the US independently.
Once they arrived in the US, their expenses during the four-day visit were covered by the US government.
“The protocol is that the head of state and his entourage get themselves to the United States, and then we take care of the expenses from there,” she said. After the visit, Ruto and his team paid for their return trip to Kenya. “Then they have to get themselves home; that’s how it works,” Whitman added.
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On May 19, 2024, Ruto departed Kenya aboard a chartered Boeing 737-700 operated by Royal Jet of Dubai. He used the same jet for his stops in the US and returned to Kenya on May 25, 2024.
The cost of a single trip from Nairobi to Atlanta aboard the luxury jet, lasting approximately 18 hours, was estimated at Ksh.98 million, potentially bringing the total cost of the round trip to over Ksh.200 million, considering the additional flight from Atlanta to Washington, D.C.
The high cost of the trip sparked public outrage in Kenya, as many criticized Ruto for urging other public servants to “live within their means” while spending lavishly on his US tour.
Upon his return, Ruto defended the expenditure, claiming the private jet was actually a more economical choice compared to Kenya Airways (KQ).
He asserted that the total cost was only Ksh.10 million, far below the reported figures, and described it as a bargain negotiated with his Arabian friends.
“I am a very responsible steward, believe you me. There is no way I can spend Ksh.200 million. In fact, it cost the Republic of Kenya less than Ksh.10 million because I am not a madman,” Ruto stated.
Ruto further explained that when he was informed that the cheapest available plan would cost Ksh.70 million, he initially opted for Kenya Airways.
However, upon hearing this, some of his friends offered him a better deal. “When some friends of mine heard that I was going to travel Kenya Airways, and I have built a big reputation as a country, they asked how much I was willing to pay. I said I’m not willing to spend more than Ksh.20 million. They said, ‘bring Ksh.10 million, and we’ll give you the plane.'”