BREAKING:
Today we reveal that Kenyans may have been paying far more than previously known for the private charter aircraft President William Ruto has been using.
The aircraft is owned and operated by Empire Aviation.
According to flight records we reviewed:
β’ 14 May 2026 - The aircraft departed Luton, UK, immediately after being chartered by the Ruto govt, and landed at JKIA at 6:58 am.
β’ 16 May - President Ruto flew with it to Baku, Azerbaijan.
β’ 19 May - The aircraft flew with him to Astana, Kazakhstan.
β’ 20 May -It then flew with him to Oman.
β’ 21 May - He then landed with it at Moi International Airport, Mombasa.
β’ 25 May - He flew from Mombasa back to JKIA on it.
Now here is the important detail.
From 25 May until 3 June, the aircraft remained in Kenya.
In the charter aviation industry, when an aircraft is dedicated exclusively to a client, the client may be required to pay standby or availability fees because the aircraft cannot be freely deployed on other commercial trips.
In simple terms, even when the aircraft is parked, the bill continues running.
Industry estimates for a VIP Boeing 737-type aircraft include standby fees, crew costs, and parking charges. Sources familiar with the arrangement have told us the cost could exceed US$15,000 per day.
If those figures are accurate, Kenyans may have been paying millions of shillings simply to keep the aircraft on standby in Kenya.
Think of it like hiring a rental car and leaving it parked outside your house for days while continuing to pay for it because nobody else can use it.
The longer a dedicated charter aircraft remains parked in Kenya, the more taxpayers could end up paying.
The question now is simple: How much has the Empire Aviation charter cost Kenyans in total? I will give you the answer to this question in a few days. So ensure you are following me here - Sholla Ard
I have attached the evidence below