The office of Deputy President William Ruto has advertised
for aircraft charter services despite the government’s assurances that it is
embarking on austerity measures to plug the country’s huge debt.
In a notice set to be published in a local daily on Tuesday,
the office of the DP asked aircraft owners to obtain tender documents from
Harambee House Annex and pay a fee of Ksh.1,000.
“Interested service providers who are registered in relevant
trades and categories (proof of registration required) may obtain Tender
Documents from Harambee House Annex 1stFloor, room 1B12/13, in person or
against written application,” reads the notice.
“The non-refundable fee of Ksh.1,000 is to be paid in cash
at the Cash Office before 4pm on normal working days or in banker’s cheque
payable to the Principal Administrative Secretary, Office of the Deputy
President.”
The notice further outlines the deadline for obtaining the
tender documents as October 23, 2018 at 10am.
DP William Ruto has previously been on the spot with a
section of the press claiming he owns a fleet of helicopters and choppers. He
has, however, refuted these reports on numerous occasions, even once claiming
that the chopper he uses belongs to Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses
Kuria.
Considering the high cost of chartering a plane in the
country, this move could raise doubt on whether the government is keen on
cutting on its spending.
Last month, there was public outrage after President Uhuru
Kenyatta approved the Finance Bill 2018 which introduced new tax measures to
increase government revenue amid a high cost of living