The office of the fourth president of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta, now retired, through its spokesperson Kanze Dena has come out to say that State House is frustrating them. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Kanze came out to state fact and separate it from untruths. This is in response to what the government spokesman Isaac Mwaura said on Friday.
According to Kanze, it is true that Uhuru Kenyatta received Ksh. 48 million in gratuity. Gratuity is the amount of money given to a public servant when they stop serving in their capacity. Former President Uhuru also received his personal monthly allowances.
However, the former president has not had access to a fully furnished office of his choice. The office in Nyari was selected by the former president Mwai Kibaki. It should be clear that that is not the office that retired president Uhuru is using. Uhuru picked and furnished an office out of his pocket. A letter was written to State House requesting valuation but they got a response via text.
Moreover, the vehicles used by the office of the former president are not new. They are part of the ones he left Kasarani in (the motorcade). As per the Presidential Benefits Act, the retired president is entitled to 2 new vehicles of his choice, replaceable every 3 years. He is also entitled to 2 four wheel drives of his choice. Kanze detailed that the retired president was to use those cars in transition as plans to purchase others were being made.
“On the issue of vehicles, as indicated earlier, the former president is using vehicles given to him on a transitional basis. The office would like this to go on record that after transition a conversation on the purchase of vehicles as required by the act commenced between the two offices. That conversation I have made available for you also on the kit and it notes that the identification of vehicles was done down to the colour of the vehicles and then the conversation froze. To date, no discussions have been revived. We don’t know if the cars were purchased or not,’’ Kanze said.
Furthermore, she made it known that the fuel cards for the cars the former president uses were blocked in March 2023 by State House. The government of the day has neither fuelled nor repaired nor maintained vehicles for the retired president.
She continued to say that State House has refused to renew contracts of 2 professional staff members of the Retired President’s office, her included.
What is more is that out of the Ksh. 625 million allocated to the office of the retired president by parliament for the financial year 2022/2023, the office can only confirm absorption of approximately Ksh 28 million. As for the Ksh. 503 million allocated to them for the 2023/2024 financial year, they have not received that money.
Kanze Dena further noted that they were not consulted in budget estimates for their office for the financial years 2025/2026 and 2026/2027.
“As pertains the act, we all know that her excellency Mama Ngina Kenyatta in her capacity as the former first lady and surviving spouse of the late president Jomo Kenyatta is entitled to benefits amounting to 50% of her husband’s pension. The 3 range rovers that her excellency Mama Ngina Kenyatta has in her possession were allocated to her by the late president Daniel Arap Moi and the late president Mwai Kibaki during their respective tenures and replaced accordingly, after every three years that is….. The government of the day has not provided her with any vehicles. In fact, we would like to clarify that on the 18th of July 2023 at 7 pm, all her drivers and security detail allocated to her were withdrawn from their residences via phone. The claims in the media that personnel were reinstated is false,” Kanze added.
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