President Ruto's first international trip in two months
The jet President Ruto used on the US trip. State House says taxpayers paid less than Sh10 million.
President William Ruto has travelled outside Kenya for the first time in two months after he was grounded by anti-government protests.
Dr Ruto left Nairobi on Sunday, August 11, morning to attend the fourth inauguration ceremony of Rwanda President Paul Kagame in Kigali.
Mr Kagame is beginning his fourth term in office after smashing his own record by winning July 15 elections with more than 99 percent of the vote.
The 66-year-old ruler, who has been criticised for silencing his critics and political rivals, won the 2017 election with 98.63 percent of the vote, higher than the 93 percent he got in 2010 and 95 percent in 2003.
According to a statement issued by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, Dr Ruto will be among heads of state who will join more than 40,000 people expected to attend a ceremony at Amahoro Stadium.
“Under President Kagame, Kenya-Rwanda relations have blossomed, with commercial and people-to-people ties further consolidating for the mutual benefit of both countries and the region,” Mr Mohamed said.
This becomes President Ruto’s first visit outside the country in two months following unrest across the country, which slammed breaks on his travels as he battled to restore law and order.
The president’s last visit was back in June, where he attended the 50th G7 summit in Italy, and later attended another peace summit in Switzerland.
He arrived in the country on June 17 amid a heated debate in the country over the controversial Finance Bill 2024, with those opposed to the proposed law breaching security protocols and laying siege on Parliament.
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Before taking a break, Dr Ruto’s regular foreign trips had come under public scrutiny and sparked outrage after it emerged that a year into his first term, he was rivalling his predecessors, some of whom had served for two terms.
An analysis by the Nation in June revealed that the Head of State had made 62 visits to 38 countries in just 20 months.
Expensive foreign travel and public display of opulence by Dr Ruto’s first Cabinet were also among reasons why Kenyans successfully pushed for the firing of more than half of the ministers.
Dr Ruto’s choice of private jet during his five-day US state visit amid high cost of living in the country, for instance, became a matter of concern among Kenyans.
However, the president defended the move, saying that the private jet was cost-friendly compared to using Kenya Airways flights.
He added that his cost of travel was largely funded by the partners and that as a responsible citizen, he was cautious about spending.
“Fellow Kenyans, I have noted concerns on my mode of transport to the USA. As a responsible steward of public resources and in keeping with my determination for us to live within our means and that I should lead from the front in so doing, the cost was less than travelling on KQ,” President Ruto said through X platform.
The president has also defended his frequent travelling, saying they benefit the country.
“They are people on my case as to why I am making foreign trips. That’s my mandate as the President. I am the chief agent of Kenya and ambassador who will plan on how the country will move forward,” Dr Ruto said in October 2023.
He explained that the overseas trips had brought investments in the country and yielded jobs for Kenyans abroad, including Germany and the Gulf countries.
But following the spread of anti-government protests, the president announced austerity measures last month, which include suspending all non-essential travel by state officers.
“All non-essential travels by state officers is hereby suspended.”
