Ruto's UN Stay at Luxury Suites: A $100,000 Night in New York
President William Ruto attended the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 20, 2026. The event took place from September 22 to 29, with the General Debate running from September 22 to 26 and 28.
The UN has designated American Express Global Business Travel as its official travel agency for the UNGA meeting. According to the UN Delegates handbook, travel arrangements should be approved within one day of the approval of the travel request, with the proposed itinerary accepted no later than the ticketing deadline established by the airlines and communicated by American Express Global Business Travel.
The Kenyan government or its mission in New York may make accommodation arrangements for a president and their national delegation. However, several hotels have documented histories of accommodating presidents and senior diplomatic delegations during UN General Assembly meetings. These include Lotte New York Palace, Waldorf Astoria New York, Mandarin Oriental New York, Warwick New York, and InterContinental New York Barclay.
The prices for presidential suites at these hotels range from approximately KSh975,000 to KSh3.25 million per night. For example, the Presidential-Level Suite at Lotte New York Palace costs between $7,500 and $25,000 per night. In contrast, Kenyan civil servants earn basic salaries ranging from KSh26,900 to KSh35,380 per month.