By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
President William Ruto has defended his decision to hire a private jet for his recently concluded state visit to the United States of America.
The President is said to have hired a luxurious jet that cost the taxpayer at least Ksh200 million.
Revelations about the cost of the jet sparked uproar amongst a section of Kenyans who termed it too exorbitant.
Some suggested he should have used the local airliner – Kenya Airways.
But in a statement on his social media pages on Sunday, Ruto said it would cost more than Ksh200 million had he traveled using the national carrier.
He said the choice of the plane instead of KQ was part of his efforts to live within the country’s mean we he has been advocating for.
“FellowKenyans, I have noted concerns on my mode of transport to USA,” the President posted on his verified X handle, formerly Twitter.
“As a responsible steward of public resources and in keeping with my determination for us to live within our means and that I should lead from the front in so doing, the cost was less than travelling on KQ,” he added.
The President and his delegation was in the US for about five days.
His tour started on Monday in Atlanta before he officially begun a three-day state visit in Washington DC where met with US President Joe Biden for bilateral talks in the White House.
But while the cost of the tour was under scrutiny by some leaders and Kenyans, others defended it.
Central Organization of Trade Unions Secretary General Francis Atwoli noted that it would be unrealistic for a Head of State to use the Kenya Airways for his state visit.
Atwoli further said the benefits of the visit were more than the the money used to hire the luxurious jet.The President returned on Sunday night.