'Hustler's' lavish Sh1.4 billion jet

President William Ruto is received by Transport Minister Alemu Sime at Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on September 7, 2025, for the 2nd Africa-CARICOM Summit. [PSC]

President William Ruto touched down in Addis Ababa on Sunday in style, opting against the official Fokker 70 ER in favour of a high-end private jet. 

The Head of State landed aboard a Gulfstream GV, registration number T7-VVV, and was received with the customary honours accorded to a visiting president. 

What captured attention, however, was the aircraft itself, a symbol of both luxury and aviation excellence.

The Gulfstream GV is registered as T7-VVV (msn 584), and is 25 years old and configured for spacious and luxurious seating space. 

The Gulfstream GV is a large, long-range business jet manufactured by Gulfstream Aerospace. 

Measuring 29.4 metres in length with a wingspan of 28.5 metres, it revolutionised private aviation when it entered service in 1997 by offering nonstop transcontinental and transoceanic travel.

With a range of 6,500 nautical miles, it can link distant cities such as New York and Tokyo or London and Singapore without the need for refuelling.

The aircraft accommodates up to 18 passengers in a stand-up cabin divided into three sections for work, relaxation and rest.

Its low cabin altitude reduces fatigue during long journeys, while oversized oval windows allow natural light to brighten the interior.

In addition to its comfort, the Gulfstream GV is regarded as one of the most reliable and technologically advanced business jets ever produced, holding numerous records for speed, altitude and distance. 

The specific jet used by President Ruto is owned and operated by Skymark Executive, a San Marino–based aviation company with over 25 years of experience in the sector. 

The specific jet used by President Ruto is owned and operated by Skymark Executive, a San Marino–based aviation company with more than 25 years of experience in the sector. 

SkyMark Chief Executive Officer, Captain Farid Gharzeddine, in a phone interview confirmed to The Standard that indeed, the government of Kenya had chartered the jet from his company and was footing the bill.

“Yes, for the specific jet, the client is the government of Kenya.

‘‘I am not going to give you information over the phone but if you send an official email, I can tell you everything you need to know about the jet.”

Gharzeddine had not responded to the questions we shared with him via email by the time of going to press.

Apart from the Gulfstream GV, Skymark Executive also operates a 13-year-old, 14-seat G450 and a seven-year-old GVII-G600 added in October 2024 and configured for up to 19 passengers. 

The company has had the Gulfstream GV based in Nairobi since October 2024. 

When launching the aircraft into its fleet, Skymark in a statement in its website described it as its first aircraft permanently stationed in Africa to meet growing demand for VIP travel across the continent. 

“The Gulfstream GV will enable us to better serve the increasing VIP flying demand across the African continent,” the company said.

The Gulfstream GV, also known as the Gulfstream V, is a large, long-range business jet manufactured by Gulfstream Aerospace. 

Captain Gharzeddine has 27 years of experience in the aviation industry.

Previously, Gharzeddine was captain at ExecuJet Middle East and also held executive positions at Elite Jets. 

According to aviation industry data, SkyMark Executive has a 14 seater Gulfstream G450 and Gulfstream G600 domiciled at Al Maktoum International in Dubai while the Gulfstream GV used by President Ruto is domiciled at Wilson Airport.

The national carrier Kenya Airways flies to Addis Ababa seven times a week and according to the airline’s ticket booking website, a return ticket in the luxurious business class costs Sh179,730 while a return ticket in the economy class is Sh58,585.

Even if President Ruto was to travel with a delegation of 10 aides in business class the total cost of the flight to and from would have been Sh1,797,300.

While SkyMark Executive does not publicly disclose its charter fees, air charter experts estimate the hourly cost of operating a Gulfstream GV at between $18,000 and $25,000 (Sh 2.3 million to Sh 3.2 million per hour) depending on services and conditions. 

Given this, the hourly rate portion is part of the total flight time cost, but charter companies generally quote a full trip price rather than an hourly rate for such charters. 

An aviation expert working for a government agency says there is only one such jet available in the Kenyan market.

“Its the jet President Ruto used. There is no other jet locally and even regionally with such specifications.” He confirmed that the company from which the jet was chartered from — SkyMark Executive — has been operating from Kenya.

“For a presidential charter, there is no other company. Just SkyMark Executive , and they also have just one such jet,” said the source, a pilot, adding that it costs Sh1.36 billion to buy such a plane.

President William Ruto arrives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia]

President Ruto has previously come under scrutiny for his preference for luxury jets.

In 2024, he chartered a Boeing 737-700 for his trip to the US with costs estimated at Sh2.4 million per hour. 

The revelation sparked nationwide criticism, though government spokesman Isaac Mwaura defended the decision, arguing that the benefits of the visit outweighed the transport costs for the President and his delegation. 

Ruto himself later clarified that the total expense for the US trip was under Sh10 million, far below claims that it had cost the taxpayer Sh200 million. 

“I am not a mad man. I am a very responsible steward,” he said at a national prayer meeting in Nairobi.

“There is no way I can spend Sh200 million. It cost the republic less than Sh10 million.” 

He further explained that when he considered using Kenya Airways, he was quoted Sh70 million, after which friends stepped in to subsidise the cost of a private charter. 

This comes at a time Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o has highlighted concerns regarding the State House’s significant expenditure of Sh3.6 billion on travel and hospitality within a 42-day period, from May 14 to June 24, 2025. 

The expenditure contradicts President Ruto’s numerous pledges for austerity measures and spending cuts.