Deputy President William Ruto is set to travel to Guinea Bissau, his second trip to the country.
An earlier trip on a private jet, reported by Nation newspaper, sparked widespread criticism after it was revealed that millions of shillings in taxpayers' money were spent on the trip.
Previous Trip Controversy ¶
When the private jet saga was first reported, with its luxurious amenities, including a bed, a shower, meeting room, a kitchen, and allegedly a swimming pool, Ruto claimed the reports were inaccurate and malicious.
Aides of the Deputy President, mostly his staff at the Office of the Deputy President (ODP), were accused of inflating the cost of the trip by Ksh 8 million.
A source indicated that the aircraft owner had initially asked for Sh 18.5 million for Ruto's trip to Congo, Gabon, Nigeria, and Algeria, but his aides requested Sh 27 million.
The staff at Ruto's office, who are mostly his close confidantes, allegedly inflated the figures for the hire of the aircraft by Sh 8 million.
Although Ruto and his office have denied the reports, sources indicate that the aides had initially struck a deal with Vista Jet for a yearly contract of Sh 100 million.
The contract allegedly included a provision for the jet company to ferry Ruto whenever he traveled out of the country.
However, when the truth emerged, the company allegedly printed invoices in collusion with the DP's office to mislead the public about the actual cost of the trip.
Contract Details ¶
The contract was reportedly divided into four parts, with the government paying Vista Jet Sh 27 million every three months, translating to Sh 108 million yearly.
Ruto had previously hired the jet to travel to West Africa, visiting countries such as Nigeria, Gabon, and Ghana, as well as the Congo in May the previous year, with claims that the trip cost taxpayers Sh 100 million.
