President Ruto Pays Estimated KSh 2 Million Per Hour for Luxury Boeing Jet to Zimbabwe

President William Ruto travelled to Harare, Zimbabwe, aboard a privately chartered Boeing 737-800 BBJ2 to attend the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit.

The president arrived on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, aboard the aircraft registered as T7-BBJ2, as regional leaders gathered to discuss economic cooperation and development across member states.

The aircraft is a business-jet version of the Boeing 737, fitted with luxury facilities designed to accommodate high-profile passengers during long-distance international journeys.

Its interior reportedly features a private suite, spacious lounge, conference area and extended fuel tanks, allowing it to undertake long intercontinental flights without requiring refuelling stops.

However, the cost of chartering the aircraft for Ruto’s return journey has not been publicly disclosed by State House, leaving the overall expenditure unknown.

Available market estimates suggest that chartering a Boeing Business Jet 2 of this class costs between $12,000 and $18,000 per flight hour.

This translates to approximately KSh 1.6 million to KSh 2.4 million hourly, depending on factors such as fuel surcharges, flight routing and operator fees.

The final bill would depend on the total flight time, additional charges and contractual arrangements between the charter operator and the party hiring the aircraft.

Consequently, the estimated hourly rate alone does not establish how much the government spent on the president’s trip to Zimbabwe.

Ruto’s use of a privately chartered aircraft has drawn attention because Kenya’s official presidential jet, Harambee One, has reportedly remained unavailable for international presidential travel.

The Fokker 70 recently returned from an extensive overhaul in the Netherlands, where it underwent interior refurbishment and received a high-speed satellite communications system.

Despite completing the work, the aircraft has reportedly been used for domestic test flights and has yet to transport the president on an international journey.

The circumstances surrounding its continued absence from overseas presidential trips have raised questions about its operational readiness following the lengthy refurbishment.

However, the available information does not establish whether technical, operational or other considerations informed the decision to charter another aircraft.

The summit brought together leaders from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, a regional bloc comprising 21 member states.

Discussions focused on cross-border investment, industrialisation and implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area to strengthen trade and economic cooperation across the continent.

The meeting also marked Zimbabwe’s assumption of the COMESA chairmanship, with leaders emphasising the importance of unlocking greater economic value from Africa’s natural resources.

While the summit addressed regional development priorities, attention also turned to the cost of presidential travel and the availability of Kenya’s official aircraft.

The total charter expenditure remains undisclosed, meaning the precise financial implications of Ruto’s journey cannot yet be independently established.

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