Wednesday, May 22, 2024 – The United States government has moved to set the
record straight regarding President William Ruto’s Sh200 million luxurious jet
that he chartered for his US state visit.
This follows reports that
the high-end jet may have been chartered by the U.S. government for Ruto's visit to the country.
However, the Joe Biden
administration through the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, clarified that the United
States did not fund President Ruto's flight.
"Just to be clear: The
United States of America did not pay for President Ruto's jet to the US,"
said a spokesperson for the embassy.
The news comes as the government
urges cost-cutting across various sectors and the complete removal of budgets
for some agencies in the proposed budget for the Financial Year 2024/2025.
The luxury charter provided by
the Abu Dhabi-based airline Royal Jet; charges $18,000 (Ksh2.4 million) per
hour besides other costs.
This trip marks the first state
visit to the United States by an African president in 15 years.
President Ruto opted for the
Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) over his official Fokker 70ER, citing its range
limitations.
Unlike his predecessor,
President Uhuru Kenyatta, who flew commercially with Kenya Airways in 2019,
Ruto chose a more opulent option for his journey.
The decision has drawn
criticism, especially considering a Kenya Airways flight to New York departed
just two hours after Ruto’s plane.
A business class ticket on this
flight would have cost between Ksh123,000 and Ksh234,000 but would have required
a connecting flight to Atlanta.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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