Uhuru, Ruto Clash Over Former President’s Office

The issue of where former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will establish his post-presidency office remains a contentious matter, with disagreements between Kenyatta and the current administration led by President William Ruto.

Despite being entitled to certain benefits and privileges as a former head of state, Kenyatta’s wishes regarding his office location have been met with resistance from the government. According to Kenyatta’s spokesperson Kanze Dena, the former president is currently paying his own staff and has not received the vehicles he is entitled to under the Presidential Retirements Benefits Act. The central issue stems from Kenyatta’s determination to use his previous residence adjacent to the State House as his official office, a request that the Ruto administration has rejected.

While the government has offered Kenyatta a Sh250 million office at the Nyari Complex, he remains adamant about using his former home, citing his role as the East Africa Community facilitator for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Tigray region in Ethiopia. A letter from Kenyatta’s private secretary Kinuthia Mbugua states that the office of the Retired President would be located off Dennis Pritt Road and at the corner of Gate D, Plot reference number:209/1570.

However, a senior official discloses that the proposal to lease Kenyatta’s house as his personal office is deemed impractical by the government due to legal advice indicating a potential conflict of interest, as it would violate Kenya’s Public Procurement laws. Kanze expresses disappointment that Kenyatta is being denied the opportunity to choose his own office, unlike his predecessors, former Presidents Moi and Kibaki, as well as former Prime Minister Odinga and former Vice President Musyoka. She questions the unfair treatment of Kenyatta.

The issue of Kenyatta’s entourage and the number of staff accompanying him on local and international trips has also been a point of contention. The Ruto administration has reviewed the list of people travelling with the former president and instructed that he should only be accompanied by a small team of 1 plus 10 during official visits abroad, citing budgetary concerns raised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Affairs. Despite previous complaints from Kenyatta’s office regarding insufficient funding, the Presidential Retirements Benefits Act entitles him to four vehicles and four trips per year lasting no more than two weeks each.

However, according to a senior officer at the Presidency, the government had provided Kenyatta with 12 vehicles, eight more than required, including luxury models such as Range Rovers and Mercedes-Benz.