This archive report was first published on 31 October 2019.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has made 31 foreign trips over the last 21 months, sparking questions over the value for money. However, State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita has defended the trips, saying they are essential for advancing Kenya's agenda and sphere of influence.
On October 30, 2019, Waita tweeted, "One of President Kenyatta's duties as Head of State is to position Kenya as a force for good and a thought leader in the community of Nations. A duty he has discharged extremely effectively. Foreign travel to advance Kenya's agenda and sphere of influence is simply part of the job."
Waita's statement came after it was revealed that Kenyatta had used a luxury private jet, an Airbus 318 Elite, to travel to Japan and Russia. The total cost of the hire remains unclear, but it has been estimated that the cost of hiring a similar aircraft is around Sh1.5 million per hour.
President Kenyatta is also expected to visit Botswana after his latest trip.
