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.
