President William Ruto on Sunday, May 26, assured Kenyans that hiring a private jet during his trip to the United States was not a waste of money.
The President, in a statement, remarked that the jet was the cheapest option compared to airlines operating between Kenya and the United States.
"Fellow Kenyans, I have noted concerns on my mode of transport to the United States," he acknowledged Kenyans who had questioned the expense.
"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 travelling on the national airline."
Ruto's statement was made a day after he made similar remarks during an interview with VOA Africa, during which he stressed that his mode of transport was informed by austerity measures.
Ruto remarked that it was preposterous for people to keep repeating claims that the jet was leased for five days at a cost of Ksh200 million.
"I think the expenditure on my trip is completely exaggerated. They actually border on ridiculous. I am very careful about the resources that I spend," he stated.
President William Ruto, while denying the Ksh200 million claim, did not indicate how much taxpayer cash was used to fund the trip.
State House initially explained that Ruto and his delegation could not have used the presidential jet as it would have necessitated five stopovers for refuelling.
On May 21, the United States Embassy in Nairobi dispelled rumours that it had chartered the jet on behalf of the Kenyan government.
The cost of chartering the plane gained international attention during Ruto's US State Visit, forcing government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura to ask journalists to stop obsessing about the trip's cost.
Instead, Mwaura asked the media to turn their attention to the deals that would be signed, arguing their eventual benefits outweighed the cost of the travel.
