Ruto, Uhuru Hold Talks Over Allowances Dispute

President William Ruto on Tuesday held talks with his predecessor retired President Uhuru Kenyatta over concerns regarding disbursement of funds allocated to his office.

According to State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, following the talks, President Ruto constituted a team led by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei to address the grievances raised on Monday by the former President’s office.

The team to be led by the head of public service will address among other issues the location of the retired President’s office and the attendant staff establishment.

“This morning, President William Ruto had a conversation with his predecessor in office, the 4th President, President Uhuru Kenyatta, regarding concerns about facilitating the functioning of the retired President’s office”

“President Ruto has consequently constituted a team, led by the Head of Public Service, to immediately address all the issues raised, including the location of the retired President’s office and the attendant staff establishment,” said Mohamed in a statement on X.

On Monday, former President Uhuru Kenyatta accused his successor, William Ruto’s government of frustrating him by denying him benefits due to him under the Presidential Retirement Act.

Through spokesperson Kanze Dena the retired President listed a litany of grievances including being choked financially through measures that include being denied official office space.

Other than the  Ksh.48 million paid out to Kenyatta as gratuity at the end of his service and the monthly allowances, and medical cover, his office says he has been denied access to the budgetary allocation released to the state house comptroller for disbursement to him.

The denial of funds to the office means that the former president has had to dig deep into his pocket to finance the operations at this office.

The Presidential Retirement Benefits Act accords a retired president a set of benefits including a monthly pension, entertainment allowance, housing allowance, suitable office space, two new cars replaceable every two years, two four-wheel drive cars of his choice, replaceable every three years, a fuel allowance, water, electricity and telephone facilities and full medical and hospital cover amongst others.

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