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Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura defended President William Ruto’s recent four-day state visit to the United States by emphasizing that the benefits outweigh the costs.
During a visit to the Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology in Nakuru on Tuesday, May 21, Mwaura engaged with students who questioned the expenditure of the high-profile tour.
Mwaura criticized those who focused solely on the cost of the trip, without considering the potential returns of President Ruto’s visit to the United States.
He highlighted the opportunities for foreign investments, trade agreements, and educational partnerships that could result from the trip, suggesting that these benefits far exceed the expenses incurred.
“Hii pareto inatumika sana kule Marekani kwa hivyo nyinyi wakulima, (Rais William Ruto) ameenda kuwatafutia soko. Kwa hivyo wewe unauliza maswali haya …hiyo maswali ni ya kipuzi kabisa. Shindwe wewe ibilisi, pepo mbaya.”
“Rais ameenda kama mzee wa Kenya, kutafuta alafu wewe unauliza fare ni pesa ngapi na akirudi atarudi na zaidi ya hiyo fare mara milioni. Yeye ni Rais wa kwanza ambaye ameitwa kutoka Africa kuenda State visit Marekani baada ya mda mrefu.”
Accompanied by his deputies Gabriel Muthuma and Mwanaisha Chidzuga, Mwaura stressed the importance of President Ruto’s efforts to secure markets for Kenyan farmers in the U.S., dismissing critics who questioned the trip’s value as shortsighted.
He further emphasized President Ruto’s significance as the first African head of state invited to the U.S. in 16 years, indicating the historic nature of the visit.
Cost of the trip
Regarding the logistics of the trip, it was noted that President Ruto opted for a private Boeing 737-700 jet from the Royal Jet of Dubai instead of using his presidential aircraft.
Reports suggested that the charter cost approximately $18,000 per hour, with the flight from Nairobi to Atlanta estimated to take roughly 18 hours.
This visit marks a significant diplomatic engagement, as President Ruto’s invitation by President Joe Biden is the first of its kind for an African head of state in 16 years, underscoring the importance of the relationship between Kenya and the United States.
