By TWV Team
Like former President Daniel arap Moi, under whose wing William Ruto cut his political teeth, the Head of State has perfected the art of hosting delegations at State House. Those fortunate enough to visit the House on the Hill rarely leave empty-handed.
In recent months, delegations from across the country have been entertained by the President as he seeks to consolidate political support, particularly in the wake of his fallout with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and last year’s Gen Z revolt that shook his administration to the core.
Interviews with attendees suggest that participants walk away with cash handouts ranging from Ksh5,000 to Ksh200,000, depending on how crucial their support is deemed to be. Those receiving the largest amounts reportedly hail from regions such as Mt Kenya, where the President has struggled to maintain a firm grip amid a fierce onslaught from Gachagua.
“When we visited, we were each given Ksh10,000, while those who mobilised delegations from constituencies pocketed more. We hear that Ksh200,000 is the standard handout for key opinion shapers,” revealed a political activist from Nyanza.
Last Saturday, when President Ruto hosted 10,000 teachers, each reportedly received Ksh10,000. Former Kabete MP Paul Muite dismissed the exercise as outright bribery. “Ten thousand teachers at State House, each given Ksh10,000, adds up to Ksh100 million in a single day, taxpayers’ money in plain sight,” Muite posted on X on 14 September. “For how long will Kenyans tolerate such open bribery in silence?”
Although the meeting’s official agenda was to address teachers’ welfare, including salary demands, Muite insisted that the gathering was political in nature. Allegations of inducements are not limited to teachers. When a delegation from the Gusii region visited State House in August, former Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba claimed that mobilisers were promising each attendee Ksh100,000.
“This Friday, between 5,000 and 8,000 people from Kisii and Nyamira are being ferried to State House. Since when has State House become a campaign ground? Mobilisers are saying every attendee will get Ksh100,000, that’s the word on the ground,” she told a local television station on 14 August.
Such practices echo Moi’s era, when delegations would feast at State House before leaving with cash rewards. The tradition came to an abrupt end when former President Mwai Kibaki assumed office in 2002. Kibaki flatly refused to issue cash handouts, instead urging citizens, even those from his Othaya stronghold, to borrow from banks and invest in farming or business ventures.
Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu has in the past questioned billions spent on hospitality, travel, and meetings at State House, sometimes without the parliamentary approval required by the Constitution, which permits such withdrawals only in emergencies.
In 2024 alone, State House reportedly spent Ksh1.1 billion on hospitality. In addition to its ordinary budget, the Presidency also has access to confidential vote funds that remain unaudited.
