Former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Nelson Havi has downplayed President William Ruto’s recent visit to former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Gatundu residence, calling it politically insignificant. The meeting, described by Ruto as an effort to promote unity and reduce tribal tensions, stirred public speculation due to the strained history between the two leaders.
During an interview on Citizen TV’s *Day Break* program, Havi asserted that the Mt Kenya region—despite being Kenyatta’s home turf—has been let down by both Ruto and Kenyatta. He dismissed any notion that Kenyatta still commands political influence there. “Uhuru Kenyatta has only one vote and cannot claim to represent Mt Kenya anymore,” Havi remarked, adding that discussions of broader coalitions involving Raila Odinga seem misguided.
Havi also criticized talk of reviving the 2019 Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), a constitutional amendment push that was annulled by the courts. He described any such attempts as retrogressive and irrelevant to Kenya’s pressing priorities. “Whoever thinks of bringing back the BBI must be seen as completely detached from the country’s real issues,” he said.
The meeting raised eyebrows, particularly given the long-standing fallout between Ruto and Kenyatta. Their relationship soured during Kenyatta’s second term when Ruto, as his deputy, found himself sidelined. Kenyatta’s open endorsement of Raila Odinga as his preferred successor in the 2022 elections further deepened the divide.
Following his loss to Ruto in the hotly contested 2022 presidential polls, Odinga organized protests throughout 2023, challenging Ruto’s leadership. However, the two leaders have since reconciled, with Ruto now backing Odinga’s candidacy for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship.
Havi urged Kenyans to remain vigilant about such political moves, dismissing any renewed alliances involving Ruto, Kenyatta, and Odinga as mere reconfigurations of past agendas. “This is nothing new. These leaders have attempted similar arrangements before, and Kenyans should see through these maneuvers,” he warned.
The Gatundu meeting—though framed as a push for national cohesion—has instead sparked fresh debates about its true political intentions and its implications for regions like Mt Kenya.
