Former President Uhuru Kenyatta's recent meeting with his successor William Ruto continues to elicit debate about the motive for thawing relations between the two leaders after a bitter fallout over the last two years.
Allies of former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, in particular, question how Mr Kenyatta will respond to his blistering criticism of his former deputy, whom he dismissed as unfit to rule in the run-up to the 2022 elections. In these elections, he backed opposition leader Raila Odinga, who was, however, defeated by Dr Ruto.
"We want to see how the former Head of State will behave after that meeting. Everyone is eager to see how Mr Kenyatta will attempt to help President Ruto--who he tried to pull all stops to prevent from rising to power-- regain favour in the mountain," said Embakasi North MP Mr James Gakuya.
Mr Gakuya wondered how Mr Kenyatta would repackage himself to disown his 2018-2022 opposition to Dr Ruto, who was then his deputy, and make the big about turn to now campaign for President Ruto's second term bid, if indeed that is the plan.
Githunguri MP Gathoni wa Muchomba said the meeting of the two leaders is of no consequence in Mt Kenya, likening President Ruto's relationship with the region to that of a broken pot.
"As far as we are concerned we have soaked in the aggression by this administration, accepted and moved on waiting for our 2027 moment," Ms Wa Muchomba said.
She added that "the grassroots remains unmoved about how this administration is rated and we continue to repackage ourselves as an alternative contest force".
Ms Eunice Wanjiku, a resident of Murang'a town, likened Mr Kenyatta’s latest move to the biblical story of the blind man who upon receiving the miracle of sight from Jesus reported that he was seeing blurred vision and was touched on the eyes one more time to have clear sight.
President William Ruto has a word with retired president Uhuru Kenyatta during the Consecration and Installation of Bishop Peter Kimani Ndung'u as the Catholic Bishop of Embu Diocese in Embu County on November 16, 2024.
Photo credit: Pool
Unprecedented as it was and impossible as was perceived, the meeting between the two former political allies-turned-bitter rivals has put Mr Kenyatta on the spotlight.
President Ruto visits former President Kenyatta at his Ichaweri home
After teaming up in 2013 in an unlikely alliance forged under International Criminal Court indictments, the two won the presidency with Mr Kenyatta the president and Mr Ruto his deputy.
But after their controversial re-election in 2017, which led to a post-election, crisis that only ended after President Kenyatta reached out to his rival, Mr Odinga, in 2018, the relations between the two leaders deteriorated.
In the run up to the 2022 General Election, President Kenyatta then broke ranks with his deputy and campaigned for Mr Odinga.
With overwhelming support from Mt Kenya, which defied the outgoing president on his choice of successor, Dr Ruto narrowly beat Mr Odinga to State House.
But following unpopular policies by his administration in the last two years, the resentment against President Ruto has been growing in Mt Kenya.
Then-President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and his then-Deputy William Ruto.
Photo credit: File I Nation Media Group
The president’s action to seek a truce with Mr Odinga and name his allies in Cabinet after the youth-led protests that tested his government in June further widened the growing rift with Mt Kenya.
So pronounced is the revolt that the residents have been expressing their discontent with President Ruto’s rule by heckling him and his loyalists in public functions.
With Mr Gachagua’s wing ejected from the Kenya Kwanza government, the situation has made Mr Kenyatta emerge as a popular politician with his caution in the lead up to 2022 revisited.
"The situation as it is now has made us relook into our political fortunes so far. There are those things that former president Kenyatta was telling us about his deputy and why he was opposed to him ascending to power. But we doubted. Now we know he was right," Mr Gachagua recently told NTV in an interview.
Mr Kenyatta's Jubilee Party Secretary General Mr Jeremiah Kioni has downplayed the meeting between the two leaders, but many pundits believe that it is the start of a new alliance ahead of 2027 polls.
"I can without fear of contradiction tell you that the meeting between the two had no sinister motives. Our party leader is not interested in being co-opted into government or helping the incumbent rule," Mr Kioni said.
"You remember that Mr Kenyatta in his presidency consulted with the opposition leader, Mr Odinga...but never did he draft him into government. That is the same relationship that Mr Kenyatta desires in this government. He is consulted alright, but with no intention of being drafted into government," he said.
Jubilee Party Secretary General, Jeremiah Kioni, during an interview at Jubilee headquarters in Nairobi on March 17,2022.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
However, the President's economic advisor Mr Moses Kuria in a public statement suggested the meeting between the two leaders was the start of an interesting phase of politics especially in Mt Kenya.
"This is a beautiful meeting that plays around our desired cause of escaping Mt Kenya getting isolated...Where Mt Kenya unites with the rest of the country to pursue matters of common interests. Inculcate into our laws progressive provisions that secure our present and future as a region," Mr Kuria argued.
Mr Kuria added that there is a likelihood that their meeting will birth a constitutional reform agenda that might see the return of the Building Bridges Initiative.
The initiative sought to create more constituencies including in Mt Kenya, usher in one man one shilling one vote formula and create new executive posts including that of Prime Minister.
President William Ruto's economic advisor Moses Kuria.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Mr Gachagua, who had turned around from his heavy criticism of Mr Kenyatta to seek forgiveness, and declare he was the region’s kingpin, viewed as a strategy to seek a working political deal with his former boss, finds himself at crossroads.
The former deputy president has promised to issue a directive early next year about the political direction he would wish the region to take in the lead-up to the 2027 General Election.
I will tell Kenyans the way forward in January 2025: Impeached DP Gachagua
Saying he was remorseful for the 2022 miscalculations, he pleaded with the region to forgive him.
"We are now the wiser. Never again shall we ever find ourselves in the political hole we are in currently. We will never make those kind of miscalculations again," he said.
Mr Gachagua said he was consulting widely. "The consultations involve the church, leaders, professionals, elders, the youth...everyone there is to consult," he said. "I know it pains and it angers but keep still, persevere, keep the faith, it is only for a season".
Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu advised President Ruto to “instead of worrying too much about 2027, serve the remaining three years and leave the decision to Kenyans at the ballot.”
"The president is in a campaign mood and is already building contest alliances. That will not stop others interested in his position to roll out similar ground incursions. He should concentrate on serving Kenyans and use his rate card to defend his seat," Mr Nyutu said.
Mumias East MP Mr Peter Salysia told Nation.Africa that "the president is currently on a wooing drive to net as many allies possible for his 2027 bid".
"Political parties, individuals, both elected and aspiring candidates, as well as regional and institutional opinion shapers are in high demand by the president and his functionaries," he said.
