Twice in three days, immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta has stated he has not had a one-on-one conversation with his predecessor President William Ruto since handing over power in September, because he has not been invited to.

Uhuru said so on Friday evening when he went to his son’s home in Karen where detectives had camped to talk to the youngster on guns-related issues and reiterated his sentiments on Monday during a wide-ranging banter with senior media corps at his Caledonia residence.

Uhuru expressed his willingness to meet Ruto any time to discuss any subject if the Head of State deems it fit to invite him for such deliberation.

It is an open secret the relationship between the two has been less than warm long before Uhuru exited power. There is also no gainsaying that a decade ago, the duo was the best of bosom friends when their ticket clinched the presidency with Ruto having been Uhuru’s running-mate and sealed their election victory with a family dance at the Catholic University of East Africa, an event that was graced by both their mothers and a mother’s jig to boot.

In spite of their differences that crept after the 2017 election, Uhuru handed over power to enable the country undergo yet another smooth transition though he himself had supported the unsuccessful presidential candidate Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja coalition against his own deputy, of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

That, 11 months after elections, Uhuru and his successor have not had a chat may not augur well for a fragile democracy that Kenya is. It is a bad precedent that should be discouraged.

As I have stated in this forum before, President Ruto is at the moment the Big Brother in local political landscape. It, therefore, behooves of him to step up to the plate and unite the country from both its width and breadth.

As President and the national unifying figure, Ruto has the onus to bring the entire country together, including those who voted against him and those who did not vote at all or are not yet of voting age.

He should reach out to his predecessor. It is not proper for two adults, Statesmen at that, to keep on grousing, grumbling, mumbling, feuding and fussing for times on end. It will not reduce an ounce of respect of Ruto’s presidency for him to invite Uhuru for coffee, banter and a hearty laugh. That is the way to start narrowing the social, political and economic differences that grip the citizenry.

Ruto needs everybody aboard his Mv Kenya to successfully navigate through the delicate headwinds. Having a chat with Uhuru would be a proper starting point.

It is almost a year since Ruto ascended to the coveted position as the nation’s Chief Executive Officer. He has enormous challenges ahead of him. Dealing with a sagging economy, a highly tribalised populace, a hungry citizenry and unemployed youth is no easy challenge. The President needs to be fully immersed in the callings of his job for him to deliver.

He should not have room to entertain unnecessary tiffs and beefs with his predecessor. He should not listen to courtiers who will be imploring on him to ignore the retired President. For worse or for better, Kenya will take the direction that Ruto wants. It is all in his hands. It depends more on his actions and vision than his words.

The author is Revise Editor, People Daily — [email protected]