It is now emerging that Deputy President William Ruto did not get to meet former President Moi when he visited his Kabarak home on Thursday afternoon.
According to a statement from Moi’s office, Ruto’s visit coincided with the time he was undergoing physical exercises with his doctors but that he agreed to meet him at a later date.
“Former President Mzee Daniel arap Moi was visited today by Deputy President His Excellency William Ruto at his Kabarak home. Ruto who was accompanied by Energy CS Charles Keter, Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut and lawyer Stephen Kipkenda were welcomed and had lunch at Mzee’s Kabarak home. Unfortunately, this coincided with the time Mzee Moi was undergoing routine physical exercise with his doctors. Mzee Moi agreed to meet the visitors at convenient time another day in the very near future,” read the statement.
Ruto and the former first family have had a frosty relationship with some saying Moi has never forgiven for dislodging him as the Kalenjin Nation political supremo in the 2007 elections when he backed ODM’s Raila Odinga against the incumbent Mwai Kibaki, whom Moi was supporting.
Reports that Ruto had visited the Kabarak home, had been welcomed as it came a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta kicked off a season of forgiveness as part of the building bridges initiative launched by President Uhuru and Raila when they shook hands at Harambee House topped the agenda.
Ruto’s lieutenants led by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen have previously claimed that their attempts to visit Moi following his recent hospitalisation in Israel were being thwarted by his son, Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, who has has designs of clinching the presidency in 2022. Thursday, there were unconfirmed reports that Ruto’s motorcade was briefly held at the gate.
It forced President Uhuru and Raila to deny reports they were forging a 2022 alliance. Raila was the first prominent leader to visit the former president where he was received by the Baringo senator.
On Wednesday, President Uhuru urged Kenyans to forgive one another over wrongs committed during last year’s charged electioneering campaigns and forge ahead in unity. He led by example by seeking forgiveness.
“Since leadership is best done not by exhortation but by example, let me do as I have asked you to do. If there was anything I said last year that hurt or wounded you, if I damaged the unity of this country in any way, I ask you to forgive me, and to join me in repairing that harm,” he told a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate during his State of the Nation address.
Shortly after, Ruto also took to Twitter to do the same. “In keeping with HE’s (His Excellency’s) statement, I WSR (William Samoei Ruto) unreservedly apologise to anyone offended or hurt in anyway by what I have said or done at any time. Find it in your heart to forgive me. I have forgiven all those who wronged me. Let’s embark on building the bridges of friendship and unity,” he tweeted.
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The call for forgiveness has, whoever, sparked mixed reactions. While many are in support, others say those seeking forgiveness must first confess the wrongs they committed.
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