By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
The government has come out to refute claims that it has denied the office of former President Uhuru Kenyatta monetary support.
While the law provides that a former Head of State gets support from the taxpayers’ money, there have been reports that that has not been the case with Uhuru.
But in a statement on Friday, May 31, 2024, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura affirmed that the legal obligation was still being executed by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
He termed as untrue reports that Uhuru’s office was not getting financial support from the Kenya Kwanza regime.
“The government has consistently honoured its obligations to retired presidents, vice presidents, and the former prime minister,” Mwaura said in a statement.
He noted that the former Head of State has already been paid Ksh48 million in lump sum – an equivalent to his year’s salary for each of the two terms he was in office.
Additionally, according to Mwaura, Uhuru receives a monthly pension of Ksh1.6 million and monthly allowances of Ksh1 million. This includes an entertainment allowance of Ksh200,000, a monthly house allowance of Ksh300,000, a fuel allowance of Ksh200,000, and Ksh300,000 for water, electricity, and telephone services.
Aside from the finances that the government provides to the office of the former Head of State, he is also allocated vehicles, and services and is fueled by the state.
The same is also the case with Mama Ngina Kenyatta, on her status as the wife of the former Head of State.
“The office of the third retired president and Mama Ngina Kenyatta have a total of 12 vehicles at the expense of the state. These are two Toyota Land Cruisers with a 4,000cc engine capacity, one Mercedes Benz with a 5,000cc engine, four Toyota Prados with 2,700cc engines, two Range Rovers with 4,200cc engines, two Range Rovers with 5,000cc engines, and one Subaru Forester with a 2,000cc engine,” the government spokesperson revealed.
The latest revelations come amid claims the government has rejected to pay the former Head of State rent for his house near the state house.
Uhuru is said to have picked the house as his official office contrary to government’s demand of using the one previously used by the late Mwai Kibaki.