Raila Reveals the Reasons Behind Ruto's Fractured Ties with Museveni, Kagame, and Suluhu
Azimio Party leader Raila Odinga has attributed the strained relations between President William Ruto and his counterparts in East Africa to corruption and diplomatic blunders committed by Kenyan government officials.
On Tuesday, Odinga expressed the shared concerns of the Presidents of Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding the growing diplomatic conflicts initiated by the Kenyan government. He denounced Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for his inflammatory comments about the Rwandan administration by asserting that it was more authoritarian and less democratic than Kenya. Odinga further claimed that the East African leaders disregarded Kenya's Jamhuri Day celebrations held on December 12 because of their discontent towards the Kenya Kwanza policies.
These statements contradicted Ruto's claims that he had not invited his counterparts to the national event, as is customary. On December 17, during a shared media interview, Ruto refuted the rumours that his rapport with Museveni and other presidents of the East African Community had soured. These remarks were made amidst escalating tensions between Kenya and Uganda, with the latter terminating their oil trade agreement with the former.
To reduce expenses, the commodity was purchased separately, but a license was still required for the Oil Manufacturing Company to operate in Kenya. Kenya's Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) rejected Uganda's application, escalating the mounting tensions between the nations. According to Raila, Uganda appears to have opted for legal action at the High Court of Kenya, indicating an upsurge in the already distressing rift between Ruto and Museveni.
"Uganda has been forced to go to the High Court in Kenya through its Uganda Petroleum Company to challenge a formula instigated by the Kenya Kwanza cartel that forces the sovereign state of Uganda to have its petroleum products transiting through Kenya to pay a “middleman” fee," Raila stated.