Photo Courtesy Daily Nation

Kenya is seeking billions of shillings to purchase guesthouses and luxury vehicles for visiting presidents and other dignitaries, underlining the burden of running the country’s foreign affairs on taxpayers. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the acquisition of the guesthouses is aimed at cutting reliance on five-star hotels and guaranteeing availability of accommodation for the foreign dignitaries.

It also plans to splash additional millions on limousines and other high-end cars for local travel of what it calls VIP State guests.

This will add to the growing burden of running the Foreign Affairs ministry, which is spending billions of shillings to host Kenyan diplomats in foreign capitals.

The ministry did not disclose the budget for the guesthouses and luxury vehicles in the plan tabled in Parliament for MPs’ review.

"The ministry seeks to acquire suitable guesthouses for high-level dignitaries visiting the country. This will cut costs of hotel accommodation and ensure there is always availability of accommodation and reduce dependency on hotels," says Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo in a report to Parliament.

"This will also ensure security and confidentiality."

The government spends millions of shillings on reception and entertainment of visiting State guests in top-notch hotels.

For instance, a night for a presidential suite at Villa Rosa Kempinski costs about Sh1.74 million ($15,000) and a premium room goes for KSh 578,500 ($5,000) per night in the same hotel, according to rates posted on the website of the luxury hotel. By Edwin Mutai, Daily Nation