DP Gachagua a no show in welcoming his boss president Ruto from his Italy, Switzerland trip
The Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was once again this morning missing from the delegation receiving president William Ruto at the Jomo Kenaytta International Airport (JKIA) upon his return from weeklong tour to Italy and Switzerland where he participated in the G7 Summit and the inaugural Summit of Peace in Ukraine respectively.
Instead, the Head of State upon jetting back aboard Kenya Airways against the backdrop of outrage over his extravagant foreign trips, he was received by among others Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, Majority Leader of the National Assembly Kimani Ichung’wah, Majority Leader of the Senate Aaron Cheruiyot among others.
The widening rift between the DP and president Ruto has openly played out in the public amid heated political rhetoric by factional groups one allied to the president an another to Gachagua.
Last week, Gachagua flew to Mombasa aboard a KQ commercial flight sparking outrage that he is being maltreated by the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration.
Today, the DP and his boss are expected to meet during a scheduled United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Parliamentary Group meeting to be held at State House Nairobi to rally support for the controversial Finance Bill 2024-2025.
While in Italy, president Ruto called for increased support for Africa’s development. He urged the G7 leaders to champion the reform of the international financial architecture to foster equity and inclusion.
He said the reforms would provide the Global South, particularly Africa, with access to concessional, long-term, and agile finance, and also enhance the developing countries’ participation in decision-making. Amid this appeal, the G7 committed to modernising international financial architecture and enabling it to meet contemporary global challenges.
The president later joined world leaders in Switzerland where he condemned Russia for invading Ukraine. He termed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine “unlawful, unjust and against the international law.”
Ruto said it was time for parties to the conflict to demonstrate good faith, abandon unyielding attitudes, and soften their positions for lasting peace to be realized.
He reaffirmed his support for the U.S. ally and spoke to leaders about delivering aid to the Gaza Strip. Biden secured agreements during the trip from Israel and Egypt to allow 20 truckloads of humanitarian aid through the southern Rafah crossing into Gaza, although it’s unclear when it will be delivered. He spent several hours in Israel, but aid talks in Jordan with regional leaders were canceled following the Gaza hospital explosion.
