Yesterday, May 25, 2011 in Parliament, Cheranganyi MP Mr Joshua Kutuny alleged that Prime Minister Raila Odinga spent $7000 per day in hotel accommodation during the recent visit to the US.
While we acknowledge that this pattern of irresponsible behaviour is typical of the MP, we wish to clarify to the Kenyan people, as follows:
1: The cost of the PM’s room was $1,600 per day for the three days he was accommodated at the facility.
2: The $1,600 included Room Occupancy tax of $94.00, State Room Tax of $142.00 and a related tax of $8.00 that covered amenities like use of Internet, a meeting room to receive leaders visiting him; a bedroom annex for one bodyguard and a personal assistant; and a dining room. The other members of the Prime Minister’s Delegation stayed in standard rooms at the cost of US$250 per night. We have attached hereto copies of the supporting invoices from the Waldorf Astoria in this respect.
We have attached copies of the invoices from the Hotel.
3: We view allegations by the MP as acts of ignorance, inspired by malice and an obsession with trying to mudsling the PM and reduce his profile in national and international affairs.
4: These allegations fall in the same pattern with claims that the Prime Minister is responsible for taking Kenyans suspects to the ICC, a claim equally pushed by the same MP, among others.
We wish to state further that the PM never travels abroad in vain or for fun. Each trip the PM has made out of the country at the expense of tax payers has been on the line of duty and has returned great rewards.
The PM visited France in October 2009 and met the Director-General of AFD, the French Aid Agency, and requested that AFD increase its funding to Kenya’s Geothermal Development Company by about Ksh 10 billion. The Director-General agreed on the spot. That funding was used to buy the two of rigs that are being used to develop geothermal wells in the country.
In a few weeks contracts will be awarded for Olkaria I and IV Power Plants. The project is projected to cost about US$800 million. About 40% of this cost will be financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency, which was pledged at Mr Odinga’s request when he visited Japan in February 2010.
The Lake Naivasha and Catchment Restoration Programme, which the PM launched in April, is currently receiving strong support from The Price of Wales’ International Sustainability Unit, WWF, and others. This programme has its origin in the PM’s meeting with the Prince of Wales in Oslo in May 2010.
In his recent visit to the US, the PM was leading a Government delegation to showcase Kenya. He was able to influence major corporations, among them General Electric, to agree to set up regional offices in Nairobi.
On this mission, the PM visited the White House where he succeeded in securing a commitment of US$ 15 million to assist Kenya with border patrols.
On 20th April 2011, the PM visited France to launch the Paris-Nairobi Climate Initiative. This remains a major development for the country. The initiative is to mobilize both technical and financial resources to finance bankable renewable projects. Kenya will submit the development of Bogolia-Susuwa geothermal field and the Kerosene Free Kenya program, for financing under the Paris-Nairobi Initiative.
Insinuations that the PM is traveling for fun or in vain, and attempts to lump his travels with those undertaken by other Government officials, are grossly unfair and undermine clearly undermine the PM’s commitment to helping the country move forward.
DENNIS ONYANGO.
Ag. Sec Communication;
Office of the Prime Minister.
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