This archive report was first published on 2 July 2021.
On July 2, 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived at the Élysée Palace in a luxurious Maybach S650, a vehicle valued at Sh20 million.
The Élysée Palace is the official residence of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron.
Accompanying the President were Foreign Affairs CS Raychelle Omamo, Infrastructure CS James Macharia, and Kenya's envoy to France, Prof Judi Wakhungu.
The Maybach S650 is a high-end vehicle that retails from Sh20 million, excluding taxes, and is targeted at VVIPs who can afford luxury.
Interestingly, the vehicle had a rental sign at the number plate with a telephone number attached, suggesting that it was not the President's personal car.
The Maybach's palatial rear seats come equipped with all the comforts needed to make the President's trips in France a delight.
Adaptive projector-beam LED headlights brighten the path ahead, alerting other motorists on the road that a VIP is inside.
The Maybach is a competitor to the Rolls Royce and Bentley Mulsanne brands, characterized by its sublime beauty and unmistakable style.
Back home, President Kenyatta has a Maybach at his disposal but rarely uses it, preferring to be chauffeured in a Toyota Land Cruiser V8, Mercedes S Class, or drive himself in a Mercedes Benz G Wagon or Range Rover Vogue 2020.
There are very few Kenyans known to own a car that is close to the President's, among them the late businessman Chris Kirubi and SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri and Ben Kangangi.
According to a State House brief, the meeting between President Kenyatta and President Macron entailed discussions on the existing relationship between the two countries, including the expansion of the 233-kilometer Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Road, which is set to kick-off in September 2021.
