Uhuru: State House has not acquired new vehicles for my office

The office of retired president Uhuru Kenyatta has denied reports that the government acquired new vehicles for his office as required by the constitution

In a press briefing, Uhuru through his spokesperson Kanze Dena alleged that he is currently using vehicles given to him on a transitional basis.

Kanze claims the vehicles in use are those Uhuru departed with from Kasarani after the handing-over ceremony in September 2022.

"After the transition, a conversation on the purchase of the vehicles as required by the Act commenced between the two offices...," Kanze said.

“The identification of the vehicles was done down to the colour of the vehicles and then the conversation stops, nod discussions have been revived, we don’t know if the cars were purchased or not."

Kanze said the vehicles are two Toyota Land Cruisers, one Mercedes Benz, and one Ranger Rover used by the former First Lady.

She went on to point out that among the four Toyota Prados assigned to the retired president, three are used by his security detail.

This is in addition to a Toyota Prado used by the office and a Subaru Forester.

"What the government spokesperson did not clarify is that the vehicles were not new," she added.

Kanze further alleged that the agreement with the Statehouse was that Uhuru used the vehicles as they began procuring new ones as stipulated in the Presidential Benefits Act.

However, last month the Government Spokesman Isaac Mwaura listed 12 vehicles the government of Kenya has given former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta for their day-to-day movements.

The Presidential Retirement Benefits Act 2003 provides lucrative retirement benefits for former heads of state including, over 30 staff, luxury cars, unlimited health insurance coverage and an international travel allowance of up to four trips a year.

"The third retired president Uhuru Kenyatta is by law entitled to 4 vehicles at the expense of the state, whereas the former first lady HE Mama Ngina Kenyatta is entitled to enjoy half the benefits of a retired president, as a spouse to a former head of state," Mwaura said.

The vehicles include two Toyota Land Cruisers with a 4,000cc engine capacity, one Mercedes Benz with a 5,000cc engine, four Toyota Prados with 2.700cc engines and two Range Rovers with 4.200cc engines.

Others are two Range Rovers with 5.000cc engines and one Subaru Forester with a 2,000cc 2,000cc engine, Mwaura said.

"These vehicles are fully fueled and maintained by the government. The former president has been issued four fuel cards, and Her Excellency Mama Ngina Kenyatta has three fuel cards to facilitate the fueling of their vehicles," Mwaura said.