Things are getting thicker for DP William Ruto as the sun rises each day. The latest setback is rumours that he has been banned from visiting State House by the power brokers around President Uhuru Kenyatta.
According to a popular political newspaper, State House directed that he makes prior appointments whenever he wants to see Uhuru Kenyatta.
In contrast, the deputy president’s foes such as Raila Odinga and Gideon Moi have unfettered access to State House any time, be it day or at night. In the past, Ruto used to go to State House any time of the day or night and would even enter the president’s office regardless of who the head of state was meeting.
Sources say that the move to have Ruto notify his visits is aimed at controlling activities and avoid the embarrassment of bumping into his political enemies at the seat of power.
During Uhuru’s first term in office when Lawrence Lenayapa was State House Comptroller, the deputy president used to call him to inquire on who was waiting to see the president.
To demonstrate how far he has fallen from glory, Ruto was conspicuously missing when Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde visited the country on Tuesday.
It was Preside
In his capacity as the second in command, Ruto’s presence during the courtesy call by the Ethiopian President was significant in terms of forging development fronts and cementing the relationship between the two countries.
Ruto had hosted the Ethiopian Ambassador to Kenya Meles Alem at his Karen home on 30th April and spoke glowingly about the relationship between the two countries.
Held consultation with Ethiopian Ambassador to Kenya Meles Alem, Karen, Nairobi County. pic.twitter.com/xDqA2RLxsZ
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) April 30, 2019
From last year, Uhuru has been phasing out some of his inner-cycle team including those people close to Ruto among them Lenayapa who was replaced by former Nakuru governor Kinuthia Mbugua.
Today, Uhuru’s new centre of power has been Fred Matiang’i, political strategist Nancy Gitau, Joseph Kinyua who is head of Public Service, Nzioka Waita, chief of staff and head of delivery unit and Philip Kameru the National Intelligence Service director.
It is this team that has advised Uhuru to demand his deputy book prior appointments whenever he wants to visit State House to stop him from storming their strategy meetings.
Ruto was last seen at State House on 8th April when President Kenyatta received the new Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng.
President Kenyatta today received credentials from the incoming Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng at State House, Nairobi. Ambassador Wu is also the Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the UN Environment and the UN-Habitat | @WilliamsRuto @ChineseKenya pic.twitter.com/voy0HL33O1
— State House Kenya (@StateHouseKenya) April 8, 2019