William Ruto Claims He Spent Less Than KSh 10m To Travel To US: "I Am Very Responsible"

• President William Ruto's official state visit to the United States (US) sparked an uproar after he hired a private jet
• The president claimed it cost less to travel on the private jet than using the national carrier - Kenya Airways (KQ)
• Ruto described the reports claiming he spent KSh 200 million as false, noting that he was a responsible leader who lived within the country's means

TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto brings over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

President William Ruto has disclosed he spent less than KSh 10 million to travel to the United States (US).

This came after online reports emerged claiming the trip cost a whopping KSh 200 million.

Ruto described the reports as false, noting that he was a responsible leader who lived within the country's means.

"I saw reports online alleging that I spent KSh 200 million to travel to the US. I am a responsible leader, and I lead from the front. We have made friends...so a friend asked me how much I was willing to pay, I said I was not paying more than KSh 20m. He said bring KSh 10m, so we spent less than KSh 10 million. I am not a mad man," Ruto revealed.

Which plane did Ruto hire?

For his four-day visit to the United States, Ruto opted for a chartered Boeing 737-700 business jet instead of the traditional Fokker 70ER.

The Boeing 737-700 from Royal Jet of Dubai can fly nonstop for 10 to 12 hours.

A report by KTN News revealed that the Abu Dhabi-based airline offers charter services for KSh 2.4m per hour.

According to the firm's quotation, a one-way 18-hour flight from Nairobi to Atlanta costs KSh 98 million.

This, coupled with his trip from Atlanta to Washington, saw Ruto's trip cross the KSh 200 million mark.

How did Kenyans and KQ react?

• President William Ruto's US trip costs sparked a debate among Kenyans for the better part of the weekend.
• Ruto defended his course, saying that the flight on the national carrier, Kenya Airways, would have cost more.
• KQ declined reports doing rounds on social media that the flight would have cost more than KSh 34 million.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke