King Charles shakes hands with Raila Odinga at State House in Nairobi on Oct. 31, 2023. Photo: PCS
Two people stole the show during King Charles’s just-ended four-day State visit to Kenya. And they were not the two Heads of State, the British monarch or President William Ruto.
When the King arrived at the JKIA in Nairobi on October 31, accompanied by Queen Camilla, the focus was clearly on the two of them. He was returning after a long time to the country that he had visited several times before, but in now in greatly changed circumstances.
The last time he was here for the launch of the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC)-funded middle-income housing estate of Buru Buru in Nairobi’s Eastlands, in partnership with the government and the then city council, he was simply Prince Charles.
His latest visit as the King of the United Kingdom and the head of the Anglican Church had been much-anticipated by Kenyans and was bound to attract massive international media coverage. Some Kenyans were hoping that he would offer an apology for the atrocities by the British colonial forces and oppression of the people and pledge reasonable reparations.
In the end, he just acknowledged and expressed his “deepest regret” about the colonial era repression and exploitation of Kenyans in a moving and eloquent speech, but did not say much more than that.
Then the two people who grabbed some invaluable attention turned out to be First Lady Rachel Ruto, with her interesting fashion and hairstyle and later during a State banquet on Tuesday evening, October 31, for King Charles, opposition kingpin Raila Odinga.
There was some real warmth in a close interaction between the royal visitor and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition leader that left President Ruto as a mere excited onlooker.
First was the firm handshake between the two men and some apparently hearty conservation, as the President only managed to flash a big grin while standing nearby and watching the friendship show unfolding before him. Then King Charles and Raila engaged in some deep discussion that has left many observers wondering what exactly the two leaders could have been talking about as President Ruto listened in.
King Charles’s mother, Queen Elizabeth, was at the helm of the empire when in 1963, Britain granted Independence to Kenya, with Mzee Jomo Kenyatta as the Prime Minister. A year later, on December 12, 1964, Kenya became a republic under President Kenyatta, with Raila’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga as the Vice-President.
Conspicuously missing from Tuesday evening’s auspicious occasion was Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who not long ago had declared that his self-assigned responsibility was to ensure that Raila never sets foot in State House, Nairobi, during the Kenya Kwanza Alliance administration, whose first five-year tenure ends in 2017.
Well, Gachagua was reportedly away in Germany on an official visit when King Charles arrived in Kenya. And the veteran opposition leader was at State House for the dinner and for the first time since the August 9, 2022 General Election, and he seemed to really enjoy every moment of the high-profile function.
Also missing from this top-billed show was former President Uhuru Kenyatta. It was not clear why he was nowhere to be seen. Having been the leader of the Kenyan nation for 10 years until the last elections, one would have expected him to be invited to the State dinner to greet the visiting King of England. After all, the King’s mother was succeeded as the Kenyan Head of State by Uhuru’s father.
The other show snatcher, First Lady Rachel’s hairstyle became the topic of intense discussion, as did her outfit. She wore a flowing white, blue and green patterned dress and low-heeled shoes that most fashion critics described as rather matronly.
Instead of her trademark short hair, she had some stylish youngish look with lines and shaven patches on both the left and right just above the ears. But just like in past official functions, her necklace and earrings were gorgeous.
Popular former President Uhuru Kenyatta-allied blogger Pauline Njoroge took a short break from politics to offer some fashion advice to Mrs Ruto to return to her usual simple fashion style, which Kenyans have come to expect from her.
Other prominent Kenyan women who love short hair include former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, Nominated MP Sabina Chege, singer Wahu Kagwi, top fashion model Ajuma Nasenyana and the late Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore’s widow Wambui.
During the State House banquet, King Charles literally reunited President Ruto and Raila, who fought a tough electoral battle on August 9, last year, which the former won, becoming the country’s fifth Head of State since independence six decades ago.
The two have since been engaged in bilateral talks to end their standoff over the highly disputed presidential election that was decided by just 200,000 votes. DP Gachagua should by now have learnt that in politics it is wise not to rule out turns and twists.
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