By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
Third Way Alliance Party leader Dr Ekuru Aukot has waded into the ongoing debate over the cost of the jet that President William Ruto hired for his US State Visit.
The President started his three-day visit to the US on Monday but issues surrounding the cost of the luxurious jet have dominated debates in the country.
It is estimated that the Head of State hired the jet at Ksh200 million.
According to the former presidential candidate, the amount used on the visit to just fund for the hired jet was way too much.
In a post on his verified X handle, Aukot also termed the move as a display of opulence.
“President @WilliamsRuto’s visit to the USA in a hired luxury aircraft is not only very expensive to the hustlers he mercilessly overtaxes, but it’s a shameful act of displaying opulence a dilapidated economy cannot afford,” noted the Third Way Alliance party leader.
“This is wasteful and reckless when the economy is in very serious trouble. Our imports are 90% and exports are 10%,” he added.
Dr Aukot argued that instead of using too much on hiring the jet, the government should have used the money to address the rise in the cost of food, clothes, machinery, and utilities like Energy, Water and Transport.
“The supply side is so low because the Government, which is now completely controlled by the USA/IMF/WB has killed Agriculture, Health, Education, Manufacturing etc resulting in Capital flight. This is terrible. The country is dying. Kenyans are in despair,” Aukot said.
But amid the criticism, government spokesperson Isaac Mwuara defended the move.
The former Senator noted that benefits that will come with Ruto’s visit would have value running into billions of shillings.
“The benefits from this visit far outweigh such a million times,” government spokesman Isaac Mwaura told the BBC.