RUTO bans govt employees from receiving gifts days after he accepted Sh200 million private jet gift from his Abu Dhabi friends

Thursday, June 6, 2024 – President William Ruto has banned government employees from receiving any gifts from the public.

This comes days after he accepted a Ksh200 million private jet gift from his 'friends' in Abu Dhabi which he used for his U.S. state visit.

However, he failed to disclose it as a gift per the law.

Speaking during the unveiling of guidelines on the management and terms of service for heads of state corporations in Nairobi, Ruto, through his Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, warned against the issuance of gifts to government employees to foster transparent public service.  

Koskei criticized some state corporations for allocating substantial capital to the acquisition of gifts during workshops and seminars despite the country’s dire financial state.

The public service chief insisted that state corporations’ expenditures must not exceed revenues collected, adding that MPs must pay close attention to the 2024–2025 budget to ensure it doesn’t provide avenues for tax misuse.

"No more giveaways like power banks, Maasai shukas, and diaries. 

"You walk into a state corporation meeting and leave with nearly a tonne of freebies, all while we're still borrowing. 

"So, as we leave here, spread the message that we are not going to allow an environment that will enable corruption," he said.

According to the Public Officer Ethics Act, gifts given to public officers in their official capacity are classified as gifts to the state.

They should be declared and surrendered to the government. 

"Such gifts include free passage, hospitality, and favours from any person who has an interest that may be affected by the officer’s official duties.

The Kenyan DAILY POST