President William Ruto has been crisscrossing the globe aboard a luxurious Gulfstream G550 private jet—and Kenyan taxpayers are footing a bill that could run into billions of shillings.
The jet, reportedly chartered from a Canadian aerospace firm, costs between Sh 5 million and Sh 10 million per flight hour. With Ruto treating the multi-billion-shilling aircraft like a personal Uber, the cumulative cost to ordinary Kenyans is staggering.
A World Tour on Taxpayer Money
In recent weeks alone, Ruto and his wife Rachel have been airborne to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Norway, Finland, and South Africa—all aboard the same aircraft.
Each of those destinations is thousands of kilometers from Nairobi. At Sh 5 million to Sh 10 million per hour in the air, a single return trip to Europe alone could cost Kenyan taxpayers upwards of Sh 100 million.
What Is the Gulfstream G550?
The G550 is among the most exclusive private jets money can buy. Pre-owned models sell for between Sh 2 billion and Sh 6 billion. The cabin seats up to 16 passengers across four living spaces, with heated massage chairs, personal entertainment screens, a smartphone-controlled cabin environment, and a fully equipped galley with dual coffee makers and a microwave.
Its maximum range of 12,501 kilometres means it can fly nonstop from Nairobi to virtually any destination in Europe or Asia without refueling.
Below are photos of the Gulfstream G550 that Ruto and his wife have been travelling in.
