Summary

  • Kenya’s president, William Ruto, chose a Boeing Business Jet to fly to the US for a state visit.
  • Critics slammed Ruto for chartering a luxurious and expensive private jet amid the country’s economic challenges.
  • The private jet to the US cost the Kenyan government approximately $1.5 million, sourced from RoyalJet.

Kenya President William Ruto defended his choice of chartering a luxurious Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) to fly to the United States last week, saying that the cost was less than flying on the national carrier Kenya Airways (KQ). He responded after facing heavy criticism for flying on a chartered aircraft instead of using the Kenyan presidential jet amid the country’s economic challenges.

Chartering a private jet from the UAE

Over the past week, many X (formerly Twitter) users criticized President Ruto for flying on a BBJ 737 for his state visit to the United States. The Kenyan head of state landed in Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday, May 20. According to the BBC, over 30 people, including a popular comedian, were part of the delegation that traveled to the US with the president.

A lot of the criticism towards President Ruto was centered around his choice of the BBJ over the usual presidential jet, Harambee One. The charter flight comes amid outrage over the government’s plans to impose additional taxes, with the president urging Kenyans to live within their means. Following days of criticism, President William Ruto responded on X, saying,

“I have noted concerns on my mode of transport to the USA. As a responsible steward of public resources and in keeping with my determination for us to live within our means and that I should lead from the front in so doing, the cost was less than traveling on KQ

Kenya Airways Boeing 787

Photo: Abdul N Quraishi – Abs | Shutterstock

As reported by KTN News, the private jet is estimated to have cost the Kenyan government $1.5 million. While airlines regularly charter flights for VIP guests like presidents, there are no reports of President Ruto planning to fly to the US on the national carrier. Meanwhile, Kenya Airways has scheduled commercial flights from Nairobi to New York. Commenting on VIP charter flights, the airline said to Simple Flying,

“We do charters, including for VIPs, and have a team that handles this line of business. The logistics around the same are business decisions that are competitor sensitive and is not something we discuss publicly due to confidentiality.”

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Luxurious business jet travel

William Ruto was elected to be Kenya’s president in 2022. Last week, he flew to the US for a four-day visit at Joe Biden’s invitation. According to the BBC, this was the first state visit by an African president in 16 years and the first by a Kenyan president in 20 years. On Thursday, Ruto and Biden discussed trade and security partnerships, including Kenya’s pledge to lead a multinational mission to restore order in Haiti.

RoyalJet business jets

Photo: RoyalJet

The private aircraft was chartered from Abu Dhabi-based RoyalJet, a group of companies chaired by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan. The company has a fleet of several luxurious aircraft, including a nine-year-old Boeing Business Jet B737-77W, registration A6-RJU—the one used by Ruto. It is one of the newest assets in RoyalJet’s fleet, having been delivered brand new in 2017.

The aircraft can seat up to 34 VIP guests via the mid-cabin club eight arrangement, eight mid/aft business class seats, and 18 aft standard class seats. For overnight flights, the configuration can be changed to offer a queen-sized bed and 16 lie-flat seats. The aircraft also features a forward stateroom, a mid-cabin conference area, a cool mood lighting system, an on-demand IFE system, and WiFi connectivity.

There were reports of the US funding Ruto’s trip, but a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Nairobi said, “Just to be clear: The United States of America did not pay for President Ruto’s jet to the US.” Without confirming the cost of the trip, Kenyan government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura defended Ruto’s choice for the BBJ, saying, “The benefits from this visit far outweigh such a million times.”

The Kenya Air Force Fokker 70

Kenyans continue to face high taxes amid the East African country’s economic challenges. Many critics argue that some taxes are helping to fund the extravagant lifestyle of government officials rather than improve public services. The BBC notes that President Ruto has made more than 50 visits abroad since he took office in 2022.

Ruto usually travels on Harambee One, a Fokker 70 with registration KAF308. It is the go-to aircraft for the Kenya Air Force for transporting VIPs, having served four Kenyan presidents. According to ch-aviation, it made its first flight in September 1995 before delivery to the Kenya Air Force three months later. As of December 2022, it had accumulated 8,552 flight hours across 9,242 cycles.

Kenya Air Force Fokker 70

Photo: VanderWolf Images | Shutterstock

The VIP aircraft seats up to 26 business passengers. The Fokker 70 has limited range compared to the BBJ, meaning it would have to make multiple stops between Kenya and the US during President Ruto’s trip. Meanwhile, RoyalJets states that the Boeing Business Jet (A6-RJU) can fly for over 10 hours nonstop.

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