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President William Ruto has defended his numerous foreign trips amid criticism from several quarters over government spending.

Speaking during a church service in Eldoret on Sunday, October 29, the Head of State insisted that the visits were key in unlocking more investment and employment opportunities for Kenya.

Describing himself as Kenya’s chief agent and ambassador, President Ruto revealed more travel plans, including a visit to Saudi Arabia slated for next month.

“There are people making noise and complaining about my travelling. That is what my job as a president entails. I am the chief agent. I am the ambassador of Kenya in matters of development… I have to look for job opportunities for Kenyans,” the president said during the 40th anniversary service for the ACK Diocese of Eldoret.

He noted that his recent visit to Saudi Arabia had unlocked more than 350,000 employment opportunities for Kenyans.

“Last week, I was in Saudi Arabia and they need 350,000 workers, preferably Kenyans. I will be going back to Saudi Arabia in the next three weeks to sign bilateral agreements,” Ruto revealed.

Ruto’s foreign travel

President Ruto’s foreign trips have elicited mixed reactions after it emerged that he has made at least 40 trips abroad, just a year after assuming office.

His latest trip was to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he attended the Summit of the Three Basins on Biodiversity Ecosystems and Tropical Forests on Saturday.

Last Friday, he defended the government spending saying he had reduced travel expenditure by up to Ksh11 billion and not Ksh500 million as reported in a section of the media.

Speaking in Taita Taveta, the commander-in-chief said he had instructed that travel budgets for all the three arms of government be slashed by 50 per cent.

“Nimepunguza ile pea ya kurandaranda na kuzunguka….niliona watu wa gazeti jana wakisema eti nimepunguza na milioni mia tano….hapana, nimepunguza na bilioni kumi na moja,” he stated.

“Tunapunguza pesa ya travel ya all arms of government and sectors…tunapunguza na 50% ndiyo tuhakikishe kwamba pesa zinatumika kwa mahitaji muhimu kwa raia.”