President William Ruto's digital secretary Dennis Itumbi has come to his defence after an official list released by by the United Nations Climate Change (UNCC) revealed that 765 people accompanied him to Dubai for COP 28.
The list as seen by K24 Digital, showed that Ruto was accompanied by a delegation of 397 people under the party overflow badge and 367 others from the executive.
Among those who accompanied the president include his wife and children; First Lady Rachel Ruto, Stephanie Ruto (Staff), Charlene Ruto (Patron), and June Ruto (Protocol).
Second Lady Dorcas Rigathi, Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) such as Njuguna Ndungu (Treasury), Rebecca Miano (Trade), Aisha Jumwa (Gender), Davis Chirchi (Energy), Susan Nakhumicha (Health) and Soipan Tuya (Environment) also accompanied him.
But in a subsequent rejoinder shared via his official X account, Itumbi refuted the claims insisting that they were rumours peddled by their 'usual' suspects.
He stressed that Ruto was intentional about cutting down travel costs and had reduced his number of delegates to 51.
According to the digital strategist, the president had asked for a list of those going with him to Dubai and he got a list of 189 people.
He (Ruto) immediately returned it to the bureaucracy and demanded that the list be slashed further, narrowing it down to 144.
Unsatisfied, Ruto instructed that the list go down to below 60 and finally to 51.
"President William Ruto, is very serious about cutting down travel costs. He asked for the list of those travelling with him to Dubai for Cop 28. He got a list of 189 people. He returned it to the bureaucracy and demanded cuts. It came back as 144. He instructed that the list comes down to below 60.
"Finally, only, FIFY-ONE (51) - Essential staff travelled from across Government. That was a 73% cut on travel costs. Ignore the rumours being spread by the usual suspects. #SystemYaFacts," Itumbi wrote.
PRESIDENT @WilliamsRuto, is very serious about cutting down travel costs. He asked for the list of those travelling with him to Dubai for Cop 28. He got a list of 189 people. He returned it to the bureaucracy and demanded cuts. It came back as 144. He instructed that the list… pic.twitter.com/m3Vk3F3JEJ— -Dennis Itumbi (@OleItumbi) December 2, 2023
Ruto on travel
The latest comes barely months after the president announced that he had reduced travel expenditure by up to Ksh11 billion.
Ruto who was speaking during the official opening of the Voi gemstone value addition and marketing centre in Taita Taveta County stated that the travel budgets for all three arms of government had been slashed by 50%.
"Nimepunguza ile pea ya kurandaranda na kuzunguka….niliona watu wa gazeti jana wakisema eti nimepunguza na milioni mia tano….hapana, nimepunguza na bilioni kumi na moja," the president said.
"Tunapunguza pesa ya travel ya all arms of government and sectors…tunapunguza na 50% ndiyo tuhakikishe kwamba pesa zinatumika kwa mahitaji muhimu kwa raia," he added.
While making the announcement, the Head of State stressed that travel approvals will only be made if they add value to the country.
"Pesa ya Wakenya haiwezi kwenda kununua marinda…Ati wanaenda bench marking, ati wanaenda kununua viatu…sasa tumesema kwamba safari yoyote itakuwa ile tu ya kuletea Wakenya faida," he said.
