Since independence, Kenyan presidents used different sleek rides to grace state events and even tour different parts of the country.
Despite their motorcades having different types of cars, such as Land Rovers, Land Cruisers, Subarus and Peugeot 504, one official car for the head of state always stood out.
But the official designated cars for the presidents have evolved for over 50 years since Kenya gained independence.
Kenyatta's Ride
Kenya's first President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, presided over the first Madaraka Day celebrations in 1963, riding a Lincoln Continental.
The rare and expensive convertible car was valued at over Ksh16 million at independence.
Reports indicated that the US government gifted Mzee the Lincoln Continental.
The convertible was then phased out and made available for public viewing at the Uhuru Gardens Museum along Lang’ata Road.
The Lincoln Continental received an honourable mention in the memoirs of Jamaica’s Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dudely Thompson, who recalled being picked up by Kenyatta at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
"I looked through the window and saw a grey Lincoln Continental drive up to the plane, and out of it came Jomo Kenyatta," Thompson stated in his book.
Kenyatta was also gifted a Mercedes Benz 300SE by the German government, which he adopted as his official ride after establishing that Rolls Royce was not armoured and therefore unsafe for him.
Reports indicated that the Mercedes Benz 300SE was a left hand drive.
Moi's Mercedes
The second president Daniel Arap Moi rode a Mercedes 600, which was manufactured between 1963 to 1981.
It was among the few automobiles which were manufactured by the German automaker to be used by world-rich individuals, including presidents, popes and other top figures.
Mercedes 600 was an armoured car fully fitted with unique features to match the preferences of the late president. The Mercedes 600 was flanked by other vehicles, including land cruisers, Peugeot 504 and police motorbikes.
The car was, however, resigned and reportedly stored at the Public Works Garage in Industrial Area, Nairobi.
Kibaki's official ride
Before the late President Mwai Kibaki ascended to power in 2002, he had survived a road crash that left him nursing severe injuries. The government was forced to rethink how to accommodate and ensure the seamless movement of the head of state.
Reports indicated that the head of the Presidential Escort Unit suggested a Range Rover for Kibaki but turned down and decided to pick a Mercedes Benz.
However, his choice was not similar to Moi's. Kibaki decided to go for the Mercedes Benz S600.
The S- class model had more sophisticated features that Kibaki used during different state functions. His motorcade however had different types of cars, including Range Rovers, Land Cruisers and Subarus.
It is not clear what happened to the car, whether it was retired or revamped and included in former President Uhuru Kenyatta's convoy.
Uhuru's Mercedes
The former commander in chief of the armed forces used a Mercedes Benz S 600 Pullman Guard trailed by his convoy.
The German machine stood out for its ballistic protection level, which is owned by other world leaders, including North Korea's Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin.
The car had special features that would withstand rocket-propelled grenades. This is enabled by a polycarbonate coating fitted inside the windows that repel bullets at close range.
Uhuru's Mercedes Benz S600 Pullman Guard also had a twin-turbocharged V12 engine with 530 brake horsepower.
The car's tyre was also fitted with steel rings to prevent it from slipping off in case of a flat tyre incident.
The cars were exclusively owned and maintained by the government.
Ruto's taste
On the other hand, President William Ruto uses a Mercedes Benz S600 Pullman and a Land Cruiser. This is after he retired the black Lexus LX 570, KCU 192H, which made headlines for traversing different parts of the country during the campaign period.
