President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto yesterday held talks for 40 minutes in the latter's office interpreted as a gesture to calm the escalating tensions in ruling Jubilee Party.
The President walked to Ruto’s Harambee House Annex office shortly before 1pm from an official function at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, and went into the meeting with Dr Ruto and a subsequent one involving House leaders at which the President reportedly decried the infighting in Jubilee.
There were conflicting reports as to who else was in the meeting. One source said Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko but another said only Ruto’s private secretary Reuben Maiyo was present.
After their meeting, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, Majority Whip Benjamin Washiali, Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua and Loitoktok MP Katoo ole Metito were also called in for lunch in the DP’s boardroom.
The President's visit raised attention because of the polarised relations within Jubilee with Uhuru and Ruto camps for some time now engaged in bitter war of words.
The feud has escalated in recent days after Uhuru declared he would not spare anyone in the war on corruption, either a relative or close political ally.
Ruto has in recent days insisted he is the target of the graft purge designed to block his quest to succeed Uhuru. A suggestion by ODM's Siaya Senator James Orengo of a plot to impeach Ruto yesterday drew angry reactions from the DP's allies who accused Opposition leader Raila Odinga of scheming to take over the deputy president's seat.
There had been fears of boycott of presidential events by Ruto after he skipped an event at State House, Nairobi early yesterday, when Uhuru witnessed the swearing-in of new Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha and the new Commissioner General of the Kenya Prisons Service Wycliffe Ogalo.
Present at the State House ceremony were Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and the President's Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita.
“The DP stayed away from the swearing in at State House today (yesterday),” claimed a member of the presidency.
At the time, Ruto is said to have been meeting US Ambassador Kyle McCarter at his (DP) Karen office and Uhuru is understood to have phoned him and informed him of the meeting in his office.
Ruto also missed the event at KICC where the President opened the 124th session of the International Coffee Council and announced coffee farmers would access payments from a Sh3 billion cherry advance revolving fund from July.
Uhuru even conducted an interview at the DP’s office with the International Coffee Council media team for its archives, perhaps an indication of the urgency with which he left KICC.
Efforts to calm the storm in Jubilee came a few days before the President is to deliver his State of the Nation Address in Parliament and for which some MPs have reportedly demanded a preceding Jubilee Parliamentary Group meeting.
The President is expected to underline his Big Four agenda during the address scheduled for Thursday next week.
Sources told The Standard of fears that MPs unhappy with developments in the party may have been planning to boo the President during his address, or boycott the event altogether.
During yesterday’s meeting, however, the President is said to have told the House leaders to meet the MPs in an informal session and assure them of the party’s stability.
Uhuru is said to have insisted on the unity of the party, dismissed the planned impeachment bit by ODM against Ruto as nonsensical and sought support from the leaders in Parliament for the implementation of the big four agenda.
“The President looked jovial but was concerned that the unity of the ruling party was not at its best and needed to be jealously guarded. He insisted on a unity inside Parliament and outside,” said a source who attended the meeting.
Yesterday, Mr Duale was cagey when asked what transpired at the meeting with the two.
“The political landscape of this country is going to change after (today’s) meeting,” he told journalists who had camped outside Harambee House Annex before walking away to Parliament.
“I just went for lunch,” Duale later told The Standard as he laughed off our inquires.
Earlier at a press conference in Parliament, Ruto allies had sensationally claimed that Mr Raila was behind a planned impeachment motion in a bid to replace Ruto as the DP.
The at least 15 MPs yesterday accused Raila of using Mr Orengo to ascend to power through the backdoor.
MPs Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Catherine Waruguru (Laikipia), Didimus Barasa (Kimilili), Sylvanus Osore (South Mugirango), Purity Ngirichi (Kirinyaga), Nixon Korir (Langata), Kipsengret Koros (Sigowet-Soin), Benjamin Mwangi (Embakasi Central), Joyce Korir (Bomet), Mathias Robi (Kuria West), Gideon Keter (nominated), Caleb Kositany (Soi), John Waluke (Sirisia) and Jane Kiptoo (Elgeyo Marakwet) said Raila’s agenda was to occupy the DP’s position following his political truce - handshake - with Uhuru.
They termed the move as "doomed" since they would scuttle it using their numbers in both the Senate and the National Assembly should the motion find its way to Parliament.
Orengo on Monday indicated his plans to push for an impeachment motion against Ruto over claims of corruption and his opposition against investigative agencies probing multi-billion projects marred with graft allegations.
But National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi dismissed the claims saying Raila was above the DP’s position thus could plot to replace Ruto in whatever circumstances.
“They should know that the position Ruto is holding is below Raila’s stature. He cannot go for that small seat. The leaders making such claims are basically after Ruto’s money,” he claimed.
Describing the impeachment plot as premature, the Suba South lawmaker explained that the suggestion was not ODM’s official position but Orengo's personal views.
“I would say that it is premature to talk about impeaching the DP now as much as people are discussing Ruto’s integrity over his opposition to the fight against corruption,” he added.
However, in a press briefing at Parliament Buildings, Ruto's allies said Raila had “always wanted” to take up Ruto’s position.
Uhuru and Ruto are expected in Mombasa today, where they will welcome Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni who will be in Kenya for a two-day State visit.
[Report by Geoffrey Mosoku, Roselyne Obala, Daniel Psirmoi and Jacob Ngetich]
