Kenyatta family travel itinerary 'leaked'

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta.  A list of communication containing 16 names of his family members was posted on social media. [File, Standard].

An official communication between the Foreign Affairs ministry and a local embassy containing travel arrangements of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and his family has added swell to the tiff between him and the government.

Kenyatta had last week indicated that he would be taking a long desired vacation with his family, and hoped this would not be misinterpreted. 

In an interview with top editors, the former head of state said it has been long since he had a proper family time.

"I have been at peace. I have never had a good family time as I wanted. In fact, I want to go on vacation with my children. Do not say I have run away. I need rest and they need me. I have never been available," he said.

Yesterday, the communication containing 16 names of Kenyatta family members was posted on social media. The list included the retired President, his wife Margaret, his sons Jomo and Muhoho, daughter Ngina and their loved ones. 

The communication sought the embassy's help in granting the travel party entry visas. They would be travelling tomorrow, the communication indicated.

Kenyatta's staffer Pauline Njoroge appeared to confirm the authenticity of the communication when she protested at the "unprofessional move" to share the details. She said the visit was private and privately financed.

"We now expect that in the same way, moving forward the ministry will be making public travel details of senior government officials and their delegations travelling on taxpayers money, from the President to the CS's and PS's, and exact amount of money allocated to those delegations," Njoroge tweeted.

Another source close to the Kenyattas said they knew the government would attempt to embarrass him with the visit, hence the advance mention in the editors' meeting.

In the meeting, Kenyatta said he had people who tell him things, having been the President. 

"I have heard attacks will be staged on the home of one (a CS) then it would be blamed on me over the claims of being Mungiki. I know these things... All this is stage-managed. I just wish they could concentrate on leading the country and delivering their promises," he said.

He also offered a lot more information, including the fact that he partly lives in his sons compound as construction winds up in his Caledonia residence.

He said when he retired, his sons were dispossesed of their guns, and they later reapplied on their own.

"I have no other place to stay in Nairobi, unless I go to Ichaweri," he said.

Kenyatta also offered that he lived "in a wildlife region", that one of his sons likes hunting birds in Mwea rice fields.