On Thursday, President Ruto struggled to explain himself to Kenyans and clarify that he did not spend a lot of money on his U.S. visit. This comes after Ruto used a private jet for his tour instead of the normal Kenya Airways or the President’s Jet. On his visit, Ruto boarded a chartered Boeing 737-700 which is operated by the Royal Jet of Dubai. The total amount the trip from Nairobi-Atlanta-Washington. DC would cost 98 million, with an additional round trip which would eventually go beyond 200 million. All this money would be catered for by the taxpayers. President Ruto noted that he had received a lot of concerns questioning his means of transport to the U.S. He stated that he is a leader who leads from the front and understands that public resources should be utilized responsibly. He stated that in his U.S. state visit, he made sure that he kept his slogan that Kenyans should live within their means. Due to that, he made it clear that the amount he used to travel with a private jet was much cheaper compared to using Kenya Airways. The president, however, did not disclose the amount he used to board the private jet versus that the amount he would have used in Kenya Airways. This left Kenyans not satisfied with his explanations. When the State House was asked why Ruto did not use his Presidential Jet, an official stated that the jet, since it was purchased in the 90s, had never been to the U.S. The official also stated that the jet is specifically structured to function in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Emmanuel Talaam, State House Press secretary, was reported by local reporters saying that the plane would not be effective for the journey as it would have to stop five times for it to be fueled. The U.S. embassy had also rejected claims that they funded the president’s journey. President Ruto at the National Breakfast Prayer Day At the National Prayer Breakfast which was held at Safari Park in Nairobi, Ruto made it clear to Kenyans that he did not misuse the taxpayer’s money. Ruto stated that he did not use the rumoured 200 million as he is a very responsible Kenyan. He said that he had seen the debate in Kenya of how huge the plane was and people goggled to know how much it would cost. Ruto revealed that it cost the Kenyan Republic less than 10 million, and there is no way he would have used 200 million. Ruto stated that during his planning for the visit, he was informed that the cheapest jet was 70 million. Upon receiving that information, he sent his officer to buy a flight ticket from Kenya Airways. Nevertheless, his friends asked him for 10 million and they would grant him the plane. Ruto also stated that he is focusing on having a balanced economy in three years. Rigathi Gachagua, the deputy president, praised Ruto for his eloquent speech, dismissing rumours that the two are not on good terms. Gachagua stated that Ruto placed Kenya on the world map and he negotiated so much for the country.