House leadership under the stewardship of Speakers Kenneth Lusaka (Senate) and Justin Muturi (National Assembly), intervened to have Deputy President William Ruto during Wednesday's meeting at Mombasa State House, a source has said.
Initially, President Uhuru Kenyatta is said to have only invited all house leaders to discuss Jubilee agenda in parliament ahead of February but late intervention by the two leaders saw Ruto involved in the meeting.
"The DP had initially not been informed but the House leadership said it was only proper that as the Jubilee deputy party leader, Ruto should be part of the discussions," a source close to Wednesday's meetings in Mombasa said.
The DP arrived at Mombasa International Airport at 8am before proceeding directly to State House. At State House, he held a lengthy meeting with the president and the House Leadership where the Jubilee agenda was discussed.
After the meeting, the two proceed to a restaurant in downtown Mombasa for lunch. Shortly after the meal, Ruto boarded his vehicle as Uhuru addressed a section of Kenyans outside the hotel.
“Nimekuja kutembelea mtaani wenu kidogo na nashukuru kwa kunikaribisha. (I have come to see how you are all doing, and I am happy with this reception) We want Kenyans to live together,” the President said before boarding his car and leaving.
The DP seems to be falling out of favour with the president given the latest appointment of Dr. Fred Matiang'i as Chairman of powerful National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee.
According to Execute order on Tuesday by the president, Matiang'i will now be supervising, guiding, monitoring and communicating progress of government projects directly to the president.
The move is viewed as a wider plot to scuttle Ruto's 2022 ambitions given that he's been coordinating and launching government projects across the country.