The bromance between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, seems to have been rekindled during Madaraka Day celebrations on Monday.
The two leaders donned what appeared to be matching pink ties, reviving memories of their press conference in their first term when they named their Cabinet in matching white shirts and red ties.
In his speech on Monday, Deputy President (DP) Ruto praised President Kenyatta’s Covid-19 interventions, assuring his boss that they are walking in a common step and direction.
Dr. Ruto also urged leaders across the political divide to follow President Kenyatta’s lead as the country grapples with the effects of Covid-19.
“When you called the nation to action because of Covid-19, the response from Kenyans was unprecedented. Millions of Kenyans are washing their hands and wearing face masks and keeping face masks,” said DP Ruto.
A section of Kenyans on social media was quick to point out the two leaders seemed to have ironed out some of their differences that led to the purge of Ruto allies from Jubilee leadership in the Senate.
“Your Excellency, Kenyans are praying for you, Kenyans are praying for their government and for the nation. In fact, the Covid-19 pandemic has made everybody realize our inadequacy and what God can do. Your Excellency, this is your day. The nation is waiting because we are in a very peculiar place,” said Dr. Ruto in welcoming the President to make his remarks.
Jubilee Party has over the last two years been rocked by internal wrangles following the fracturing into two groupings, Kieleweke and Tanga Tanga.
As the two groupings engaged in political skirmishes, President Kenyatta patiently advised against early succession campaigns and urged the factions to focus on delivering Jubilee promises to the electorate.
Tired of the incessant 2022 political bickerings, President Kenyatta cracked the whip targeting first on changing the leadership of his party’s Senate leadership.
First to go were Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen and Majority Whip Susan Kihika, who were considered Tanga Tanga generals in the Senate.
On Sunday, during his appearance on Punchline, National Assembly Minority Whip and Orange Democratic Movement member John Mbadi said it was clear for all to see that Murkomen was against the President’s agenda in the Senate.
In particular, Mbadi accused Murkomen of being vehemently against President Kenyatta’s peace truce with ODM leader Raila Odinga.