The plane carrying Mr Biden touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at exactly 8.30pm from Sharm-al Sheikh in Egypt amidst tight security. He was accompanied by his wife and daughter.
He was welcomed to the country by Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and US Ambassador Mr Michael Ranneberger.
Immediately after disembarking from the plane, Mr Biden had a brief chat with the two before boarding his black American Chevrolet Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), which later sped off in a convoy of more than 50 cars.
This is Mr Biden’s first visit to the country.
At the airport, security was heightened before the arrival of the US Vice President.
The security detail that included US Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kenya Paramilitary and regular police combed various sections of the airport to ensure top-notch security was maintained.
A sniffer dog was also part of the surveillance team.
Vehicles parked near terminal three were towed to discourage movements in the restricted area.
Shortly after 4pm, a convoy of top-of-the range four-wheel drive vehicles was driven into the airport amid tight security, a clear indication Mr Biden was indeed on his way.
A battery of journalists has camped outside the VIP area next to terminal three waiting patiently for Mr Biden who had earlier on been expected to arrive in the country around 7pm.
Kenyans complaining
Kenyans are fond of complaining about the cost — in money and convenience — of the motorcades of their leaders.
Compared to the Americans, motorcades for Kenyan leaders are very small and very cheap.
US Vice-President Joe Biden’s visit in Kenya is expected to cost American taxpayers at least Sh160 million according to estimates of what his entourage entails. That will cover security, meals, hotels and other expenses.
The US Vice President typically travels on a Boeing 757/C-32A aircraft designated as Air Force Two. (Air Force One is the president’s.)
Estimated operating costs for Air Force One are about Sh4.8 million an hour. There are no specific estimates for Air Force Two, but it’s roughly similar.
More than Sh80m
That means it would cost more than Sh80 million just to transport Mr Biden and his retinue on a Washington-Nairobi roundtrip.
However, before coming to Kenya, Mr Biden had a stopover in Egypt and is scheduled to go to South Africa from Kenya.
Air Force Two is as well outfitted as Air Force One. Facilities include a full stateroom as well as areas for briefings and dining. But Air Force Two is not exclusively the vice president’s, it’s shared, as needed, with other members of cabinet.
The US president travels with as many as five cargo planes, so it is safe to assume that Mr Biden will need at least one to transport special equipment such as an armoured limousine and communications gear.
Security for Biden – and for his wife, Jill – is the responsibility of the US Secret Service, which doesn’t reveal details about how it protects the vice president and president.
Secret code names
The Secret Service’s code name for Biden is Celtic. For Obama, it’s Renegade. For some reason, the Secret Service allows these code names to be made public.
In Washington, Mr Biden has a fulltime staff of about 80, including a national security advisor and foreign policy specialists.
American taxpayers also spend more than Sh646 million shillings to protect Vice-President Joe Biden.
In Nairobi, a tight security cordon was yesterday thrown around the city as Mr Biden arrived for a two-day visit.
Intercontinental Hotel, where the Vice President will stay, is a no-go zone, surrounded by US embassy vehicles with tinted windows.
City Hall Way and Kaunda Street are closed to traffic. A tanker was parked right in the middle of City Hall Way near the intersection with Parliament Road, which is closed to traffic. Around the hotel, the General Service Unit personnel and regular police are standing guard and helping to direct traffic.
At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the parking lot near the VIP lounge was cleared on Sunday. Several black-suited men stood guard. Many more were deployed inside and around the airport.
Mr Biden arrived in Nairobi on Monday to begin his two-day trip that ends on Tuesday after meetings with President Mwai Kibaki, PM Raila Odinga, House Speaker Kenneth Marende and members of Parliamentary caucus for reforms.
He heads to Johannesburg, South Africa, for the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup on Friday.
On Monday, he will deliver President Barack Obama’s message of support for constitution review process.
He is also expected to discuss regional security issues especially the situations in Sudan and Somalia.
“Joe Biden, his presence as my top emissary is the same one that I’m expressing today: We want Kenya to succeed,” President Obama said in a June 1 interview for a Kenyan audience with state broadcaster KBC.
“Regardless of what people think about this draft – I just want to make sure that they participate in it . . .’’ he added.
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