Aides of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former vice-presidents Moody Awori and Kalonzo Musyoka are paid in excess of Sh100 million at taxpayers’ expense, underlining the burden of keeping the top officials comfortable in retirement.
Workers attached to such personalities include drivers, cooks, secretaries, messengers, cleaners, personal assistants as well as gardeners, among others.
Budget documents tabled in Parliament show that the three former executives will pay their office staff Sh109.36 million in the financial year starting this July, with the entire taxpayer bill for running the offices standing at Sh362.06 million.
This pushes the total annual cost of the retired top officials to Sh448.55 million, inclusive of their monthly pensions, which stand at Sh86.4 million.
Data shows that Mr Kenyatta accounts for the bulk of the budget for office maintenance and aides at Sh259.99 million, including Sh87.37 million going to the support staff and Sh57.2 million for domestic and foreign travels.
Mr Awori and his successor, Mr Musyoka, will get Sh49.06 million and Sh47.81 million, respectively, for office operations, with the duo spending Sh11.15 million and Sh10.84 million to pay their aides.
The former vice presidents get an estimated Sh720,000 in monthly lifelong pension and Sh108,000 in fuel allowance every month, besides other lavish benefits like fully furnished offices as well as 17 workers, including chefs, accountants, secretaries and personal assistants at taxpayers’ expense.
They also receive two saloon cars and a four-wheel drive vehicle, which are replaced every four years. Taxpayers cater for the maintenance of the vehicles at dealerships.
The taxpayer burden would have been heavier with added costs to maintain the office of the former Prime Minister, which has been scrapped following the death of the only surviving holder Raila Odinga last October.
But Mr Kenyatta has better perks.
Former presidents are entitled to two personal assistants, four secretaries, four messengers as well as four drivers and bodyguards, pushing the office and home workers to 34 under the scheme funded by taxpayers.
Retired presidents are also entitled to four cars, including two limousines, which are replaced every four years. They have full medical cover and fully furnished offices.
The spending highlights the elevated cost of post-retirement benefits for top State officers at a time when the government is under pressure to rein in expenditure.
