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On Monday, September 12, 2022 President-elect William Ruto met outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi.
Ruto had been accompanied by his wife and incoming first lady Rachel Ruto.
The two leaders are said to be making personal hand over ahead of Ruto’s swearing-in at Kasarani Stadium on Tuesday.
Uhuru and Ruto are expected to address the Nation in a joint Press Conference from State House.
The meeting serves as an Ice-breaker before Ruto’s big day at Kasarani. William Ruto will be sworn-in as the 5th President of Kenya after Supreme Court upheld his win on August 15.
Before today’s meeting, President Kenyatta had shied away from Congratulating his deputy after winning the August 9, polls.
Uhuru endorsed Azimio leader Raila Odinga an act that pitted him against his deputy.
On September 8th, Ruto said that Uhuru had refused to congratulate him. Ruto stated that he is not concerned that the outgoing President has not yet commented on his triumph in a CNN interview on Wednesday.
"Unfortunately, President Kenyatta has not seen it fit to congratulate me.
"Maybe he's a bit disillusioned or maybe he's unhappy that I defeated his candidate, but that is the nature of politics," he said.
The information surfaced on the day that Ruto said he spoke with the departing president on the phone to discuss transition-related issues.
"I had a telephone conversation with my boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta. We discussed the just concluded general election and the transition as envisaged by our democratic tradition and practice," Ruto said in a tweet on Wednesday
During his Monday comments on the Supreme Court decision affirming Ruto's victory, Uhuru vowed to hand over power peacefully.
"…I will hand over power smiling because it's my Constitutional duty to do so, but my leader is Baba Raila Odinga," Uhuru said.
Adding that; "You denied yourself an opportunity to bring the country together, You haven't denied Raila. Msiwekwe Kwa mfuko,".
