‘We are not dealing with private wedding’- Barack Muluka hits out at Ruto over jet offer to US
Political commentator Barack Muluka has hit out at President William Ruto for stating that his friends offered him a private jet to use for his state visit to the US, for only Ksh10 million.
The former Amani National Congress (ANC) Secretary General while speaking in an interview with a local TV station on Friday, May 31, 2024, demanded to know the interests the said friends have in Kenya.
According to Muluka, President Ruto personally accepted the donations, violating the constitution of Kenya.
"The issue here is that we are not dealing with a private wedding. We are dealing with a State visit by a State officer to another State, and we are dealing with humongous donations contrary to the constitution of Kenya.
Violation of constitution
By being offered a Ksh70 million private jet for Ksh10 million, Muluka says President Ruto compromised with Article 76(2)(b) of the constitution.
He further argued that Ruto's move may lead Kenya the South African way, where the then President Jacob Zuma had to be removed from office after getting involved in a similar incident.
"We are in the space where the integrity of the state officer in line with Article 76(2)(b) of the constitution is likely to be compromised. We are finding ourselves as a country where the South Africans were a few years ago when President Jacob Zuma was involved in deals of this kind...This are weighty matters that compromise the integrity of the State and its security," Muluka said.
Ruto on cost of jet
President Ruto on Thursday, May 30, 2024, during the National Prayer Breakfast at Safari Park hotel claimed that the plane he used during his concluded state visit to the US was less than Ksh10 million.
Ruto stated that he had been given an offer for Ksh70 million but he was only willing to spend not more than Ksh20 million. 
This forced him to ask his team to go and make an inquiry from Kenya Airways but before the team went, Ruto received an offer from his friends, which he could not resist.
“When I saw the debate in Kenya as to how I travelled to the US, there was all manner of figures, such as this plane is big and must have cost Ksh. 200 Million because the president needed to arrive in the US in style holding Rachael’s hand.
“I am not a madman. When I was told the cheapest plane was Ksh70 million, I told my office to go book Kenya Airways," Ruto stated.
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