President William Ruto’s recent trip to Addis Ababa on a private jet, costing taxpayers over Sh12 million, has sparked widespread criticism.
The four-hour round trip has drawn attention amid growing economic hardships faced by millions of Kenyans.Reports indicate that the President and his delegation could have flown to the Ethiopian capital via Kenya Airways for a fraction of the cost.
A round-trip ticket for the President would have been around Sh179,730. With a delegation of ten aides, total expenses would have stayed under Sh1.8 million.
Instead, the President used a Gulfstream GV private jet, a high-end aircraft typically associated with billionaires. This decision comes as the Controller of Budget has raised concerns over rising State House travel expenses.
Kenya currently borrows Sh3.3 billion daily to maintain government operations.
In the 2024/2025 fiscal year, the national government spent Sh25.46 billion on travel, a figure that has barely decreased despite presidential pledges to cut such expenditure by half.
This is not the first time President Ruto’s travel has attracted public attention. A previous trip to the United States in a chartered Boeing 737-700 business jet also generated debate over executive spending.
While the President has previously defended such trips as cost-effective or subsidized, the recent private jet flight has reignited criticism.
The controversy coincides with assessments of President Ruto’s three years in office. Critics argue that despite campaigning as a “champion of hustlers,” his tenure has seen a notable decline in human rights and freedom of expression since the 2010 Constitution.
Reports from the United States government and human rights organisations have highlighted issues such as unlawful killings, torture, and restrictions on media freedom.
These concerns were intensified during the 2024 youth-led ‘Gen Z’ protests against proposed tax increases, which were met with a heavy police response.
The image of a luxurious private jet contrasts sharply with the economic struggles and human rights concerns in the country.
The expensive flight and ongoing scrutiny of executive spending have fuelled questions about the priorities and decision-making of the current administration.
