President William Ruto travelled to Harare, Zimbabwe, on Wednesday, October 22, aboard a privately chartered Boeing 737-800 BBJ2 for the COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit.
The aircraft, registered T7-BBJ2, is a VIP-configured Boeing Business Jet designed for executive and official travel.
The jet reportedly commands estimated charter rates of between $12,000 and $18,000 per flight hour, equivalent to approximately KSh1.6 million to KSh2.4 million. However, the actual cost of Ruto’s trip to Zimbabwe has not been publicly confirmed.
Why Ruto Is Still Using Chartered Aircraft
The use of privately chartered aircraft for presidential travel comes after Kenya’s official presidential jet, Harambee One, underwent an extensive overhaul in the Netherlands that lasted nearly a year.
The Kenya Air Force-operated Fokker 70 received deep maintenance, interior refurbishment and systems upgrades during the exercise.
Among the upgrades was the installation of a Gogo Business Aviation FDX satellite communications system intended to provide high-speed internet connectivity during flights.
Harambee One Returned to Kenya in August 2026
Harambee One returned to Kenya in August 2026 following the overhaul and has since conducted domestic operational and test flights.
However, it remains unclear how frequently the aircraft has been used for official presidential travel since its return.
The continued use of chartered aircraft has therefore drawn attention to the status of the presidential jet and the arrangements made for Ruto’s official trips.
While the reported hourly charter rates provide an indication of the aircraft’s potential operating costs, the final expenditure on the Zimbabwe trip cannot be established without official figures on the charter agreement and flight duration.
