Inside Ruto’s Sh100m tour of the US, UK and Qatar

Deputy President William Ruto’s 14-day tour of the United States, the United Kingdom and Qatar will cost  about Sh107 million, with the taxpayer footing Sh15 million.

The DP will be accompanied by 31 individuals, including his wife Rachel and Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi.

Governors Josphat Nanok (Turkana), Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), Salim Mvurya (Kwale) and senators Susan Kihika (Nakuru) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo-Marakwet) will also be in the travelling party.

The MPs are Soipan Tuya (Narok County), Owen Baya (Kilifi North), Beatrice Adagala (Vihiga County), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) and Aden Duale (Garissa Township).

The travelling aides and support staff are Augustine Cheruiyot, Ali Daud Mohamed, Reuben Kirwa Maiyo, Abdul Khalfan Mwasserah, Abraham Korir Sing’oei, David Mugonyi and Eric Ng’eno.

Others are Roseline Patita, William Yampoi, Hellen Samoei, Fridah Njagi, Elijah Ronoh, Rebecca Nduku, Dominic Ndinda, Philip Mwinzi, Nelson Adeya and Mary Rono.

The funds will cater for air tickets, hotel accommodation and daily allowances, according to calculations by the Nation for the two weeks.

Air tickets

About Sh9.7 million will go to air tickets for the one-way flight from Nairobi to Washington DC. This is assuming that the delegation will use business class tickets that cost about Sh313, 323 each.

For the six days they will be in the US, hotel accommodation is likely to take Sh8.28 million, with an average cost of Sh44,555 per night, exclusive of taxes and fees. Daily allowances will account for about Sh7.2 million.

This is assuming that the team will be using a 2014 Salaries and Remuneration Commission circular on allowances in the public service at both the national and county government levels. The highest daily allowance for a US trip is $724, which means about 14 high-ranking officials will receive Sh1.2 million for the six days.

The others are entitled to a daily allowance of about $527, which translates to about Sh6 million. All calculations are based on the dollar exchanging at 113.8 as of March 1.

Cumulatively, the US leg of the trip – between February 27 and March 5 – will cost about Sh31.18 million.

Hold meetings

The DP is expected to hold meetings with US officials, elected leaders and Kenyans in the diaspora. He will hold talks with Ms Karen Brass, a member of the US House of Representatives, with a focus on Kenya’s economic vision, foreign policy, democracy and governance.

He will also meet officials from the State Department and the Pentagon, as well as the Government National Security Council (NSC) Adviser.

The DP will also speak at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and at the University of Arizona’s Washington Entrepreneurship Hub.

Yesterday, the DP met Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts. The state has the US’s most innovative agricultural and livestock sectors.

“This presents significant opportunities for knowledge, partnership and technology transfer for Kenya. The state is also a potential market for Kenyan tea and coffee,” Dr Ruto said.

The delegation will be in the UK between March 5 and March 8. Here, air tickets between Washington and London will gobble up Sh30.82 million for business class passengers as each costs Sh994, 187.

About Sh4.3 million will be spent on hotel accommodation as an average room goes for Sh34,752 per night. High ranking officials are entitled to a daily allowance of $848 daily, while the others will pocket $578, bringing the total to Sh10 million.

Dr Ruto will meet senior UK government officials, visit the National Counter-Terrorism Centre and speak at the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House).

He is also expected to speak to Kenyans in the UK and pay a courtesy call on the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby.

On March 8, the delegation will head to Qatar, before flying back to Nairobi on March 11. Air tickets from London to Doha will cost Sh6.7 million, at Sh216,360 per person.

Accommodation

Hotel accommodation is expected to take Sh4.4 million, at Sh35,329 per night for four days. The Doha to Nairobi flight will cost Sh11.54 million at an average cost of Sh372, 107 per ticket in business class.

“The trip is cleared, although it is not on official government business,” Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau said.

With Parliament confirming that it will cater for air tickets for the eight MPs, taxpayers will fork out Sh15.12 million. “Necessary approvals were made. We bought them air tickets as per government regulations,” National Assembly Clerk Michael Sialai said on Monday.

He said the National Assembly only facilitated the MPs with air tickets following a request by the Office of the Deputy President, which was to take care of members’ allowances.

“The purpose of this letter is, therefore, to request you to facilitate the issuance of visas, necessary protocols at ports of origin, and destinations that include transport, accommodation, and courtesies for the deputy president and his delegation,” stated a letter from Dr Abdul Mwasserah, PS, Coordination Operations & Protocol in the DP’s Office to the PS in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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