President Ruto officially opens Bunge Tower - PHOTOS

President William Ruto finally opened the Ksh.9.6 billion Bunge Tower on Thursday morning, after the postponement of the launch last week.

The initial launch date slated for April 19 was pushed forward following the tragic death of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Francis Ogolla.

Ruto, in the company of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Speakers Moses Wetangula (National Assembly) and Amaso Kinngi (Senate) took a tour around the vast facility after the official launch in the company of other leaders.

Speaking after the launch President Ruto challenged MPs to increase their output in service to Kenyans following improved facilities at their disposal.

He also asked Parliament to reduce its budget as the tower will go a long way in reducing the cost of running activities in the legislature.

 "We expect world-class oversight, world-class representation and world-class legislation, and you have no reason not to give us and the people of Kenya the best of what you can do,” he said.

Ruto also challenged parliament to reduce its budget as the tower will provide enough space for committees to hold their meetings as opposed to holding them in hotels.

“Now that we have all the facilities here, I expect that I will see a significant drop in the budget of parliament, it must reflect somewhere. As you appropriate the next budget remember that parliament does not require a budget to go to hotels," he noted.

Majority leader Kimani Ichung'wah also asserted that the tower will reduce the parliament's expenditure which has often hired rooms in high-end hotels to hold committee meetings.

“At some point, committees like the budget and appropriation committee have had to retreat to hotels where PSC has been using approximately Ksh.1.5 million shillings daily," said Ichung'wah.

"This facility will go a long way in aligning with your government policy to reduce expenditure."

"This predicament fully justified the need for an office block that presents a full work environment with all essential amenities within reach and also meets the standards of a modern workstation ideal for our legislators," said Kingi.

On his part speaker Wetangula allayed any fears that money had been misappropriated during the construction of the building.

“I want to allay the skeptics who have been pouring vitriol on the structure, the rejectionists and many others who have been saying many things, this building is here, we will use it and it will serve the purpose for which it was meant,’’ Wetangula said.

Linking the offices with parliament buildings is an underground tunnel, ostensibly for the security and comfort of MPs.

MPs will be expected to occupy the building in two phases; Phase one will involve moving members from KICC to the Tower or other alternative accommodation, and phase two will have MPs from Continental House occupy the tower.