UhuRuto meeting jolts political landscape

President William Ruto paid a courtesy call to Former President Uhuru Kenyatta at his Gatundu Home on December 09, 2024. The two leaders discussed issues of National interest. [PCS, Standard]

A surprise meeting between President William Ruto and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday has sent shockwaves across the political landscape as Kenyans wait with bated breath to witness its implications ahead of the 2027 general election.

Talks of a possible rapprochement between Presidents Ruto and Uhuru have not only thrown a wrench in the political works but also thrust into the fore questions about the political fate of the Mt Kenya region and the future of the opposition party, Azimio Coalition, in which Uhuru sits as the Council’s chairperson.

During the meeting held in Uhuru’s Ichaweri backyard, the two leaders are said to have conferred on the need to address various issues such as fostering national unity, addressing pressing economic challenges, and advancing Kenya's development goals.

“The leaders appreciated the need to achieve broader and more inclusive political consensus in the governance of our country to accelerate inclusive growth and fulfill the national development agenda,”a statement from State House released immediately after the meeting read.

A separate statement from the former Head of State also indicated Uhuru, that some people in the opposition had faced harassment calling for a cessation of the same by the State, further emphasizing the need for a vibrant opposition, transparency, and the need to fully freconstiutute the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

“On his part, Ruto agreed to engage all stakeholders to remove unnecessary tensions and propose a reconciliatory way forward. He stressed that the tensions caused by the elections are over, and it is time to focus on the future as one people,” added Uhuru.

Interestingly, both statements steered clear of any political discussions, a development that has since given political fodder to pundits and the political class.

Yesterday, Senior State House advisor Moses Kuria waded into Uhuru-Ruto meeting noting that it heralded a new beginning for the country and - should the electorate allow - a new political dawn for the currently disgruntled Mt. Kenya region following the unceremonious ouster of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Through a statement, Kuria lauded the duo for their seemingly inevitable closing of ranks and putting the nations above the interests of self.

“Closing ranks and forgiving each other is much easier than having to deal with the aftermath of a failed nation-state. In this regard, I wish to thank President Kenyatta and President Ruto for choosing the nation over personal or sectarian considerations. Coming hot on the heels of the formation of the broad-based government by President Ruto and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, it is another affirmation of Kenya's resilience, stubbornly rising to the occasion when everyone expects us to jump to the abyss,'' he added.

Speaking to the widespread anger in the Mt Kenya region emanating from the impeachment of Gachagua, and which has since thrown the vote-rich region into a political crisis, Kuria noted there was need for a strong political voice.

To achieve this, the former Cabinet Secretary emphasized on bringing together all political parties with a footing in Mt Kenya under the former ruling Jubilee party with former President Uhuru Kenyatta as its party leader.

''The Mt Kenya region, like all other regions, deserves a strong political voice. It is our imaginable right. For all the good and bad lessons we have learnt, it was a mistake to leave the Jubilee Party. However, it is not too late,'' Kuria stated.

Talks of a possible rapprochement between Presidents Ruto and Uhuru have not only thrown a wrench in the political works but also thrust into the fore questions about the political fate of the Mt Kenya region. [PCS]

Kuria also implored opposition leader Raila Odinga ,Uhuru, and Ruto to work together and revive the stalled Building Bridges Initiative(BBI), which collapsed after a court ruling that declared it null and void.

''Firstly, we can no longer depend on handshakes and personal meetings to make us feel safe in our country. The frequent handshakes and artificial formations have vindicated President Kenyatta and Prime Minister Raila on the BBI initiative. They were right and we were wrong,'' he said.

Adding, ''I urge President Ruto, President Kenyatta, and Prime Minister Odinga to close ranks and lead the nation in picking from where BBI flopped and give this country a Constitution that speaks to the emerging realities of our nation and our society. BBI Season 2 is urgent and can not wait.''

Homa Bay town MP Peter Kaluma was however not amused by the praise that has since followed former President Uhuru Kenyatta in the aftermath of the meeting.

“President Uhuru met President Ruto yesterday, but those tribalists have not called Uhuru a conman...this is the same thing that President Ruto and Baba did and you know how some people immediately profiled Babab and the ODM party calling them traitors. Let them publicly condemn, criticize and attack President Kenyatta and profile Mt Kenya people the way they have done to others or shut up forever,”wrote Kaluma on ‘X’.

Executive Director at the Centre for Multi-party Democracy, Franklin Mukwanja held that whereas the meeting between Ruto and Uhuru was reportedly to talk about issues of national interest, t would be ignorant to think that political interests were not deliberated on.

“Politics is the ability to package and define selfish interest to look like common good. We may go into the niceties of how they discussed nice things but we know there is possibly some business and political interests that they have to cove each other,”he said.

He also observed that the meeting was a tactical move on Ruto’s part given the growing dissent in the Mt Kenya region and his administration’s unpopularity which was manifested the Gen-Z anti-government protests that even led to the breach of Parlaiment in the wake of the impugned Finance Bill 2024.

“If you look at the happenings in the recent past where there were issues in Embu in the presence of Ruto, Uhuru Kindiki and Gachagua, and those in Limuru, as a clever politician that Ruto is, he is determined that a very key voting block is not going to be snatched from him. So he must make his moves early in advance. If he (Ruto) considers Uhuru a vote holder and can counter the manuverism of his former Deputy who is equally a shrewd grassroots mobilizer then he should reverse the game (by bringing Uhuru on board),"observed Mukwanja.

"I therefore can not ignorantly say that there was no politics discussed because the President wants a second term.”

Political commentator Dismus Mokua welcomed the meeting noting that it could have proven to be an opportunity for Ruto to learn from the mistakes and successes of his predecessor Uhuru.

“Politicians with the highest level of political capital including President Ruto, Uhuru and former prime minister Raila Odinga need to be having these engagements regularly just for the sake of our political stability,” stated Mokua.