Kenyan President William Ruto recently faced criticism over the cost of his official trip to the United States, with some media outlets reporting the expenses to be around $1.5 million.
However, Ruto defended the expenditures, calling the numbers being circulated as “ridiculous.”
During a press conference, President Ruto addressed the concerns about the cost of his trip, stating that he is very cautious about the resources he spends.
He mentioned that he has cut down funding to his office and various government agencies, reducing recurrent expenditures by 30% in the budget to ensure living within means.
One of the major points of contention was the estimated cost of using a luxury jet for the trip, which critics argued would have been cheaper if Kenya Airways was used instead.
However, William Ruto dismissed this suggestion as impractical, especially considering that Kenya Airways was already experiencing flight delays due to two grounded Dreamliners.
Ruto emphasized that using a commercial airline for the trip could have resulted in even more significant delays and incurred the opportunity cost of lost passenger fares.
Additionally, it was highlighted that the trip was not only essential for diplomatic relations but also beneficial for Kenya, as it marked the first state visit by an African leader to the United States in 13 years.
Moreover, the trip reportedly paid off well for Kenya, as it resulted in significant benefits such as the procurement of 130 helicopters and partnership status with NATO.
While acknowledging that the United States had its agenda in countering the influence of Russia and China in Africa, Kenya still emerged as a beneficiary from President Ruto’s trip.
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