Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has openly accused his successor, William Ruto, of significant mistreatment and frustration, revealing a deepening rift that traces back to Kenya’s 2022 succession race.
Lack of Support and Budgetary Denial
According to Kanze Dena-Mararo, Mr. Kenyatta’s spokesperson, the former president is currently using vehicles provided to him on an interim basis and has not received the new fleet promised under the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act. Dena-Mararo also highlighted issues with international travel, stating that out of several official trips undertaken since his retirement, only two have been honored.
Dena-Mararo pointed out that Ruto has refused to fund Kenyatta’s office and has denied him budget allocations for two consecutive financial years. For the financial year 2023/2024, a budget allocation of 503 million shillings was set aside, but Kenyatta’s office has not had access to these funds. Over two years, the denied funds amount to approximately 1 billion shillings. With the new allocation of 579 million shillings for the upcoming year, Kenyatta remains uncertain if these funds will be disbursed.
“The office cannot substantiate what has been used and where the monies have been used since several requests and attempts to get budget returns from the accounting officer at State House have fallen on deaf ears,” Dena-Mararo said. Although salaries and medical insurance have been paid, no other expenditures could be accounted for.
Unmet Legal Obligations and Communication Breakdowns
Speaking at the Uhuru Kenyatta Institute in Nairobi, Dena-Mararo revealed that Kenyatta has been forced to use the old transition fleet that he used while handing over power, as State House has not provided new vehicles or fuel. “A conversation on the purchase of vehicles as required by law commenced between the two offices. Identification of the vehicles was done, down to the color, then the conversation froze. To date, no discussions have been revived,” she explained.
Moreover, Dena-Mararo criticized the mode of communication adopted by State House, which has either been verbal or non-responsive to official correspondence, including requisitions for fuel, office operations, and pending contract renewals. “There is a need for written communication to maintain transparency and order,” she emphasized.
Alleged Harassment and Personal Financial Burden
The former head of state has also complained about harassment of his staff by State House operatives, who reportedly make intimidating calls at night. Additionally, Kenyatta has been personally paying the salaries of two senior officers, Mrs. Mararo and Mr. George Kariuki, since their government contracts have not been renewed since Ruto took office.
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