DP Ruto’s London meeting with Kenyans in the UK because of President Uhuru Kenyatta's trip to Ethiopia

DP Ruto’s event in London cancelled (Updated)

Tony Mukere

February 7, 2019 10:09 AM

"We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused"

DP Ruto’s London meeting with Kenyans in the UK cancelled without explanation

A planned meeting between Deputy President William Ruto and Kenyans living in the United Kingdom was on Wednesday evening cancelled, just two days before its scheduled time.

The Kenya High Commission had organized a cocktail where the DP would interact with Kenyans in the diaspora on Friday for one and a half hours - starting from 6.30 pm.

The planner had indicated that the event would be open to only six hundred people and tickets would be given to those who would register on a first-come-first served basis.

Kenyan High Commission says event was cancelled

However, on Wednesday evening, two days to D-day, the Kenya High Commission announced that the cocktail had been cancelled.

"Good evening. Thank you for registering to attend the Cocktail to be hosted by H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto, PhD, EGH, the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, scheduled for Friday 8th February 2019 from 1830hrs to 2000hrs in London. However, due to unavoidable circumstances, the event will not take place. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused," the Kenya High Commission told those who had registered.

Kenya's High Commissioner to Manoah Esipisu. DP Ruto’s London meeting with Kenyans in the UK was on Wednesday cancelled without explanation Pulse Live Kenya

Chatham House

The meeting with Kenyans had been planned to coincide with Ruto’s visit to the UK where he will be delivering a lecture at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, popularly referred to as Chatham House.

He is expected to speak on devolution as well as on the challenges faced in trying to integrate the country and the East African region.

The DP’s spokesman David Mugonyi said Ruto would give another lecture at the University of Warwick on Saturday.

During DP Ruto's speech at Chatham house, he explained that the cocktail dinner was cancelled because President Uhuru Kenyatta was leaving for an African Union engagement in Addis Ababa.

“I would have loved to meet Kenyans here but there were some emerging issues as the President will be leaving the country tomorrow for a trip to Addis. The rule is when the President is not around, the DP has to be in the country,” he explained during a public lecture at Chatham House on Friday.

Tony Mukere