President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration marked the Madaraka Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi on June 1, 2022. However, the event took an interesting turn when President Kenyatta failed to recognize Deputy President William Ruto during the ceremony.
According to sources, this was the first time since the Jubilee government came to power in April 2013 that Deputy President Ruto was not granted permission to speak during a State function. The reason behind this decision remains unclear, but political pundits believe it is an escalation of the rift between President Kenyatta and his estranged deputy.
President Kenyatta went on to praise ODM leader Raila Odinga for supporting him in building his legacy. He also claimed that his administration has achieved a lot during his second term. In a surprising move, the President asked Kenyans to make history by electing the first female Deputy President, a move seen as a clear indication of his support for Raila's running mate, Martha Karua.