Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended President William Ruto’s foreign travel.
Reports indicate that the president’s foreign trips have cost the taxpayer more than those of his predecessor during the same time period.
On Monday, Gachagua asserted that the papers omitted to mention the benefits that such trips bring.
He spoke at the State House, Nairobi during the signing of a Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Kenya.
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He maintained that comparing the gains obtained to the president’s expenditures is the best way for the media to reach an objective assessment.
The DP went on to say that Ruto came to power at a time when the economy was in a very precarious position, and he is making every effort to improve it.
“Yesterday I found a headline saying for the time you have been in office you have spent three times what your predecessor spent on local and international travel but these people were not honest enough and objective to outline the level of activities you have carried out in that time because cost is determined by the level of activity,” he said.
“I invite the media to find out when the president has traveled and to which country, what is the gain for the country? It is only then you can make an objective analysis.”
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The former Mathira MP also defended Ruto’s active style of governance.
He claimed that organizations flourish because their accounting officers take a hands-on approach to leadership, which is what his boss is doing for Kenya.
“Had they done some research, they’d come to the conclusion that all successful institutions are led by CEOs who practice hands-on style of management. This was stuck for many years and through prudent commitment and focused leadership you gave deadlines, encouraged everyone to work and that is why we have this agreement today,” he continued.
The Controller of Budget (CoB) report for FY 2022/23 released in May 2023 showed that the current regime’s expenditure on travel was at Sh14.7 billion.
Since taking office in September 2022, Ruto has been to 21 countries.
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