UK sends top officials to Kenya to mediate between two political rivals ahead of August polls

NAIROBI, Kenya

A high-powered delegation has been dispatched to Nairobi by the United Kingdom government in an attempt to reconcile Kenya's Deputy President, William Ruto and his political friend-turned fore former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga.

Kenya's Deputy President, William Ruto (L) and former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga.

This comes at a time when supporters of the two are fighting over claims that, immediately after the 2017 polls, Ruto had planned to work with Raila in an attempt to impeach his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta.

In a move that, if successful, could interfere with the current political landscape and the August poll arithmetic, where the two presidential aspirants are leading the main political formations – Kenya Kwanza and Azimio la Umoja, the London delegation is reported to have quietly jetted in the country last night and hopes to meet the two before flying back.

The move comes just weeks after both Ruto and Raila made separate tours of the UK where they pitched strong cases for their respective presidential bids, in what observers viewed as an attempt to demonstrate their global network.

While K24 Digital did not immediately establish the end game for the planned reconciliation of the two, reports indicate that after listening to their submissions during their tours, Prime Minister Boris Johnson-led administration is reported to have developed concerns over their hardline positions against each other.

Ruto has acrimoniously fallen out with his boss President Uhuru Kenyatta who is deliberately working to ensure that he does not succeed him, with the Head of State openly supporting the former PM as his preferred presidential candidate.

The DP who is the head of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party was the first to visit the UK for a series of engagements for three days after a controversial tour in United States of America (USA) and was accompanied by his wife Rachael Ruto and, among other leaders, Amani National Congress boss Musalia Mudavadi, his Presidential Campaign secretariat and Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Salim Mvurya and a host of MPs allied to him.

During his tour, the DP met the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in London and gave an address at the Commonwealth Secretariat and Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, in London where he decried what he termed as a sorry state of government system in the country, saying the opposition has rendered the current administration ‘a mongrel of a government system’, adding that President Uhuru Kenyatta has now become a ‘refugee’ in the opposition.

After his return, Raila also flew to London for a five-day tour and was accompanied by former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, Siaya Senator James Orengo, Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Charity Ngilu (Kitui), Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru), Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed.

Raila, who just like Ruto, was received by Kenya’s High Commissioner to the UK Manoah Esipisu, met UK Minister of Armed Forces James Heappey who also hosted the deputy president.

The Azimio la Umoja movement candidate also addressed the international community at the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House.