Ruto Gifts Uhuru Historic Ksh679M Exit Package
The allocation which is featured in President Ruto's first supplementary budget includes luxurious perks such...
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President William Ruto's government allocated former President Uhuru Kenyatta Ksh678.57 million for his pension and retirement perks for the current fiscal year ending in June 2023.
The allocation which is featured in President Ruto's first supplementary budget includes luxurious perks such as a fully furnished office, limousines, and salaries for a number of aides.
According to the National Treasury, the Ksh678.57 million includes Ksh655.32 million for Uhuru’s office while Ksh23.47 million, equivalent to Ksh1.95 million per month, will be wired as pension to the former President’s bank accounts.
Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung'u being grilled by MPs in Parliament. /FILE
The perks for Uhuru also include Ksh140 million for the purchase of luxury vehicles and other transport-related equipment and Ksh162.49 million to facilitate his trips within Kenya and overseas. Also included will be substantial sums for his aides' salaries, refreshments, car fuel and maintenance, and foreign travel.
The allocation will make former President Uhuru receive the largest perks offered to a retired President, underlining the burden of keeping former heads of state in Kenya happy in retirement.
This is more than the late Mwai Kibaki who was offered perks worth Ksh94.26 million in the fiscal year starting July 2014, a year after he exited office to pave way for Uhuru.
Retired presidents are entitled to other privileges, which include a monthly house allowance, fuel, entertainment, and utilities, as well as a substantial entourage of personal assistants, secretaries, messengers, drivers, and bodyguards.
They are also entitled to a monthly pension equivalent to 80 per cent of their pensionable salary, four vehicles, including two limousines, full medical cover, and a fully furnished office. The pensionable salary is equivalent to 60 per cent of the Ksh1.44 million monthly pay offered to the sitting President.
In 2015, the High Court stopped the government from paying allowances worth millions of shillings to former President Daniel arap Moi, who died on February 4, 2020, and Mr Kibaki, who passed on April 21, 2022, after finding that they were an unnecessary burden to the taxpayers.
The Attorney-General appealed the decision, allowing them to continue enjoying the high pay. Sections of the law that the court nullified entitled the two to a Ksh300,000 house allowance per month, fuel (Ksh200,000), entertainment (Ksh200,000) and utilities (Ksh300,000).
The law also entitles them to two personal assistants, four secretaries, four messengers as well as four drivers and bodyguards, pushing the office and home workers to 34 under the scheme funded by taxpayers.
The Treasury has allocated Uhuru Ksh75.5 million for paying his aides’ salaries, Ksh55 million for refreshments, Ksh50 million for car fuel and maintenance and Ksh120 million for foreign travel.
On his part, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has been granted Ksh78.7 million to run his office while retired Vice-Presidents Moody Awori and Kalonzo Musyoka have received Ksh43.1 million and Ksh59.2 million, respectively.
In 2021, Kenyatta's retirement package was omitted from the budget, pointing to the former head of state’s desire to remain involved in politics after the end of his term in August 2022. He was appointed as the chair of the Azimio la Umoja Council and will also serve as Jubilee Party leader for the next five years.
The lavish exit package has also come under heavy criticism on grounds that some of the retired State officials left office as rich men with property worth billions of shillings and vast business interests.
A report by Oxfam on Thursday, January 19 revealed that Kenya's fourth president is the fourth wealthiest person in the country with a net worth of Ksh60 billion.
However, the report warned that Uhuru's wealth was likely connected to his wider family. The Kenyatta family is known for its interests in a wide range of sectors, including banking, milk processing, transport, media, hospitality and land.
