Uhuru, Ruto in five-hour State House meeting

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday held private talks with his deputy William Ruto against the backdrop of perceived infighting in the Jubilee administration.

According to sources within the Presidency, Uhuru telephoned the DP in the morning and asked him to proceed for a meeting with him at State House, Nairobi.

While the finer details of the meeting that lasted well over five hours were scanty by last evening, it is understood that the two leaders discussed the BBI report that has kicked off a political storm and the expected Jubilee Party elections in March.

Their talks also centred on the role of the legislature in pushing the government agenda in the bicameral House ahead of MPs resuming sittings in two weeks' time.

The impeachment of embattled Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and the state of Nairobi county were also discussed.

“The two went into a meeting at around 10am. It looked like their own meeting and nobody was allowed in,” a senior official within the Presidency told the Star.

Yesterday's meeting with Ruto is part of Uhuru's series of meetings with his close family members and his "kitchen cabinet."

The President is said to have held lengthy discussions with some members of his family late into Sunday night. It would not be immediately established what the Kenyatta family meeting focused on.

On Sunday, Uhuru uncharacteristically asked the leadership of the African Inland Church at Milimani in Nairobi to allow him to speak first as he needed to attend a family meeting.

When contacted yesterday over the meeting, State House spokesperson Kanze Dena declined either to confirm or deny the event.

“No comment for now,” Dena said.

Yesterday's meeting was the first face to face private conversation between the two after a long time of perceived hostilities sparked by Uhuru's growing bromance with his political soulmate Raila Odinga.

Before the DP publicly endorsed the BBI report last week, he had been on an onslaught against Raila and a section of senior public officers whom he accused of hijacking the process to advance Uhuru succession politics.

Analysts and politicians yesterday said the State House meeting was crucial to break the ice between the two leaders over contentious issues surrounding the BBI and build synergy to drive the President's legacy agenda.

Following reports that Raila's attendance of the BBI rallies is part of his strategy to position himself ahead of 2022, the DP's allies, who have now backed the initiative, want Ruto to start attending some rallies.

Ruto's attendance is meant to counter Raila's growing influence in government and puncture the ODM leader's perceived game plan to use BBI to launch his 2022 ambitions.

Yesterday's State House discussions, according to Ruto's allies, gave the DP an opportunity to seek the President's concurrence to attend the BBI mobilisation rallies.

When asked if he would be attending the rallies, Ruto said last week that he would consult Uhuru before making such a decision.

“It is not for me to tell you I will be attending this or that meeting. I am going to have a discussion with my boss and agree on what nature of attendance,” Ruto said during an interview on NTV.

As Uhuru and Ruto held talks in Nairobi, the DP's lieutenants advanced populist proposals they want to be incorporated in the final BBI report.

Drawn from both the Jubilee, independent and friendly parties, the MPs appeared to lay down a grand strategy to counter the Raila BBI wave that is barreling the country.

Up to 140 MPs allied to the DP's Tangatanga camp attended the meeting in Naivasha including those from ODM party among them Aisha Jumwa.

The lawmakers who have warned against schemes to isolate their commander in the Uhuru succession matrix said they will roll out a flurry of rallies even in Raila’s Kisumu bedrock to market their views.

In the views, the MPs prioritised the common mwananchi drifting away from incessant calls to create more positions at the top of government through an expanded Executive.

Political analyst Felix Odhiambo told the Star that Ruto had crafted a strategy to neutralise the BBI campaigns that appear centred on the expansion of government.

“The issues canvassed by the Ruto allies could trigger excitement among the larger populace because they touch on their issues. When Ruto would be talking about how BBI must address the economy, Raila and Uhuru people would be talking about expanding the Executive. It works well in favour of Ruto,” he said.

In what is now shaping as the battle of wits for the soul and mind of Kenyans, the DP 's brigade splashed a bag of goodies.

The goodies target the most vulnerable segment of the society and would help propel the DP's narrative even as they announced countrywide tours to popularize the BBI.

The team proposed a modest monthly stipend to all young graduates from tertiary colleges and universities to cushion them from tough economic times before they get employment.

The team wants five per cent of the national revenue allocated for the stipend which ceases immediately one is employed.

Graduates will be covered for a maximum of five years under the proposed arrangements.

The DP Ruto’s allies also recommended that 15 per cent of the national revenue create a mwananchi economic social fund to be managed by county and national governments.

The fund will deal with among others stabilization of milk, tea, coffee, sugarcane, tea and maize prices to cushion farmers from fluctuations.

The plan would cement the President's plan to revitalise collapsed agriculture sectors in Mt Kenya.

The team further proposed another five per cent of national revenue to facilitate interest-free loans to startups, micro and small enterprises including kiosks, boda boda and small scale traders.

The Ruto team also wants to amend the law to have at least 3.5 per cent of the revenue allocated to the Judiciary to end the perennial cases of underfunding and support independence of the institution.

“Access to justice is greatly hampered by continuous underfunding. The Chief Justice has spoken publicly about this on numerous occasions. It is our proposal that a minimum of 3.5 per cent of the national revenue is allocated to the Judiciary fund,” said Saku MP Dido Raso who read out the resolutions.

As opposed to ODM leader Raila Odinga’s team which has been holding huge rallies to push for the creation of executive Prime Minister, two deputies and introduction of the three-tier system of government, the Ruto team has centred their proposals on youths, farmers, SMES and the Judiciary.

The new approach is likely to woo millions of Kenyans as most of the issues serve to address their daily concerns against the backdrop of a sluggish economy and huge public sector wage bill.

Last evening, Ford Kenya party disowned its two members Catharine Wambilianga (Bungoma Woman Rep) and Charles Gimose (Hamisi MP) who attended the Naivasha meeting.

Through secretary general Christopher Mandu Mandu, Bungoma senator Moses Watangula’s party said the two attended the retreat “on their own capacity as individuals and did not in whatsoever manner represent Ford Kenya party.”

“The sentiments given by the Bungoma woman MP on live TV representing the Tangatanga movement should as well be treated as personal. However Ford Kenya party and the party leadership is committed to supporting the BBI report, review and implementation as earlier communicated through the leadership,” Mandu Mandu said.