Why Ruto Has Not Yet Slept at State House

President William Ruto and his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir at State House on Wednesday September 14, 2022
President William Ruto and his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir at State House on Wednesday, September 14, 2022.
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William Ruto

President William Ruto has not yet fully moved into the State House despite his successor, Uhuru Kenyatta exiting the official presidential residence.

Ruto was said to be using State House as his base for presidential operations and opted to sleep at his Karen residence instead. 

According to insiders, the decision to spend the nights at the Karen deputy presidential residence was necessitated by the fact that State House was still undergoing renovations to fit Ruto's taste and preference. 

A comparison of before (left) and after(right) picture of State House seats.
A comparison of before (left) and after(right) pictures of State House seats.
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The refurbishment is expected to take at least three months. However, this will not interfere with his execution of duties as the offices, and other amenities were set to allow him to meet his obligations as the head of state. 

"The renovations at State House have started and may take about three months before the head of state moves into its living quarters. In the meantime, he will continue using State House offices while residing at Karen," Ruto's confidant, who sought anonymity, told the Standard. 

Ruto replaced furniture at the State House, including chairs which were synonymous with former President Uhuru Kenyatta. He also replaced the president's standard and changed the profile picture of State House social media pages. 

His deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, is set to move to the Karen deputy president's residence but is still waiting for official communication. However, he reiterated that he was comfortable residing in his own villa near the Karen mansion. 

"It is a difficult decision. I have lived here for the last 24 years, and I have such an emotional attachment to my home. My children grew up here and my parents lived with me here for many years," he stated.

"Work is going on and in due course, I will move to the official residence but I need to comprehend the changes and all the things going on around me. They are momentous. I am yet to acclimatise and accept the new situation and DP status," Gachagua told KTN News in a recent interview. 

However, it is not mandatory for the Head of State to reside at the State House. If Ruto decides to live in a different house of his choice, the government will have to incur extra costs to maintain the premises.

Apart from paying his rent, it would also accord him full security protection and staff to facilitate all the operations.

On top of that, the government would also acquire an office space for Ruto to use when executing his mandate. 

However, this is not the case as the President expressed his willingness to relocate to State House after meeting Uhuru before the inauguration ceremony.

President William Ruto (fourth right), his wife Rachel (third right) and Zabron singers at State House.
President William Ruto (fourth right), his wife Rachel (third right) and Zabron singers at State House.
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