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| Miguna Miguna and President Ruto |
President William Ruto has defended his decision to use the Abu Dhabi luxury Royal jet for his US trip instead of the normal presidential jet, citing cost saving by using a private business jet over Kenya Airways (KQ). Miguna Miguna in Nyando, Kisumu (l). President William Ruto at White House, Washington D.C. (r). Miguna has denounced Ruto’s expensive mode of transport to the US. Photo: Miguna Miguna/William Ruto. Source: Facebook How did Miguna slam Ruto’s flight choice? Lawyer Miguna Miguna, on the other hand, has criticised the President’s choice and urged him to apologise to Kenyans for not prioritising national transport options. “This is unacceptably reckless. It’s also false and unpatriotic. How can a president, even of a failed state, justify paying a foreign company or family millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money for a jet instead of promoting and using a national carrier? Apologise!” According to the fearless advocate, presidents of developed states such as the US, China, or Russia would never travel on a “foreign-owned air carrier anywhere, even if it were donated because of national pride, patriotism, security, and sovereignty considerations.” Miguna noted that Kenya owns a multimillion-dollar presidential jet that the country’s leaders have used for various travels. According to him, Ruto’s decision to rent a costly jet lacked financial, political, strategic, or security justifications, as he could have opted for commercial flights with KQ. “He could also have flown commercial using KQ. There are no financial, political, strategic or security justifications for what Ruto did. Period,” he added. Willam Ruto spends KSh 200m on US trip The head of state hired a Boeing 737-700 royal business jet that charges KSh 2.4 million per hour. According to investigations, the president and his entourage spent KSh 98 million on the flight from Nairobi to Atlanta, totalling nearly KSh 200 million. Among those who accompanied him to the US included First Lady Rachel Ruto, Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and comedian Eddy Butita.
by Nancy Odindo