President William Ruto’s government has responded to the critical statement by former President Uhuru Kenyatta regarding his retirement benefits package.
The response came through the office of the official government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura. Mwaura was forced to respond after the former president through his spokesperson Kanze Dena issued a scathing statement about Uhuru’s alleged denied retirement benefits.
Mr. Kenyatta, through his spokesperson Kanze Dena, informed journalists on Monday afternoon that his office has been deprived of its rightful packages, including the stipulated budgetary allocations, forcing the former president to cover expenses that the state should handle.
In response, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura issued a statement in the evening, asserting that Kenyatta’s office has been provided with 14 vehicles, which are fueled and maintained by the State House.
“They also alleged falsely that their fuel cards have been blocked. We, however, put it on record that the vehicles are fuelled through the State House Master Card. Our records show that several vehicles were fuelled as recently as May 15, 2024,” said Mwaura.
He stated that the government maintains detailed records of the care service history for Kenyatta’s office vehicles, dating as recently as May 15, 2024.
“The office also claimed that the vehicles are old and not deserving of the retired President. But the records are clear: The vehicles were bought in the years ranging between 2020, 2021, and 2022. They are, therefore, very befitting of the person of the third retired President,” Mwaura added.
The government noted that Kenyatta’s office has requested four vehicles worth Ksh.140 million.
Kenyatta’s office mentioned it was allocated two Toyota Land Cruisers, a Mercedes Benz, and a Range Rover used by former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, which Dena said were old, contrary to the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act.
“Four Toyota Prados are in use as follows. Three are in use by the security detail given to the former president and 1 that is in use by the office as well as 1 Subaru Forester,” said Dena.
She claimed that Kenyatta has been fueling his cars since the fuel cards issued by the government were canceled and blocked from March 2023 to date.
Regarding the state of Kenyatta’s office, Mwaura mentioned that the office of the late President Mwai Kibaki in Nairobi’s Nyari estate, which he used between 2013 and 2022 and which the government purchased, is a “suitable office for any retired President.”
“By rejecting this office and preferring that the government leases his own private home, the third retired president is inviting the government to violate procurement laws, regulations, and procedures,” said the government spokesperson.
He accused Kenyatta of wanting “to be both a landlord and a tenant at the same time,” calling it “an adventure that the government cannot engage in as this is a serious conflict of interest.”
Regarding Kenyatta’s office staff, Mwaura stated that George Kariuki and Kanze Dena’s names have not been forwarded to the State House Controller for processing.
He maintained that Ruto’s government diligently pays the salaries of the retired president, his staff, and their allowances; fuels his 14 vehicles; and facilitates all his travels.
“The Act provides that only four foreign trips should be fully paid for and for a maximum of 14 days. As for daily subsistence when on official duty, Public Service Commission and National Treasury regulations apply,” said Mwaura.
Kenyatta’s office had protested the lack of facilitation for his foreign trips; to Ethiopia to attend a peace process led by the African Union and another to Burundi for the 11th summit of the Heads of State and government of the East African Community (EAC).
Dena had also accused the government of compromising the security of the former president’s family by failing to reinstate Mama Ngina’s security which had been withdrawn in July 2023.
