News
Kenyan ministers to retain chase cars, says Mutua
Since the Budget speech in June, 2009, Mr Kenyatta and Treasury PS Joseph Kinyua have been using VW Passat, a modest vehicle compared to the preferred Mercedes Benz models, which are more costly to buy and run. Photo/FILE
Posted Thursday, July 2 2009 at 22:30
Cabinet ministers will retain their chase cars despite a directive restricting public officials to use only one official vehicle.
Government spokesman Alfred Mutua, in his weekly press briefing on Thursday, said the government provides chase cars to individual officials based on the level of threat to their lives, as such the “security arrangements will remain.”
Apart from the President and the Prime Minister, other government officials who traditionally use chase cars include Internal Security minister George Saitoti, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy Prime Ministers Uhuru Kenyatta and Musalia Mudavadi and Environment Minister John Michuki.
However, since his Budget speech in June, Mr Kenyatta and Treasury PS Joseph Kinyua have been using VW Passat, a modest vehicle compared to the preferred Mercedes Benz models, which are more costly to buy and run.
Mr Kenyatta had directed all ministers, assistant ministers, Provincial Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and other public officials to surrender all fuel-guzzling cars they were using.
Instead, they were directed to use just one official car each, whose fuel capacity should not exceed 1800cc.
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Submitted by peter mugambiPosted July 03, 2009 08:23 PM
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Submitted by henrykamau
Let them keep everything, at least we learn what not to do. We're about to change, you know they say we learn thr' mistakes.
Posted July 03, 2009 05:05 PM -
Submitted by Tribeless
Let us see how long uhuru can keep riding that passat. Must be the smallest car he has riden all his life...
Posted July 03, 2009 05:04 PM -
Submitted by Daniel08
The UK PM travels with two security cars and the odd motor bikes. The deputy is hardly noticeable. The taxpayers money is accounted for and used appropriately, I here in the UK I have heard the ministers requiring chase cars. The PM does not use unnecessary motorcades yet this economy is better placed to afford the kind of extravagance. If the issue is Security, the Govt needs to sort it out so that all Kenyans can equally enjoy safety. Mutua is a good example, of what is refer to as an educated fool.
Posted July 03, 2009 03:55 PM -
Submitted by kris
Yes! The Kenya Government spends money as if Kenya is a member of the OPEC. What the Government does not seem to be aware of is that poverty is a time bomb awaiting to erupt. And when it does erupt there will no hiding place for the politicians. Ngojea tu! Watu wanafariki kwa njaa halafu Politicians wanatuonyesha matumbo yao!
Posted July 03, 2009 03:44 PM
RSS
And where is the President and his prime minister in all this? Why not hold press conferences and tell us why these extravagances are a necessity,a priority and affordable? Why not speak up about the government's measures to tackle the run away crime , the confrontations between the two police commands and a host of other issues? WHY?