President William Ruto and his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, "met at the State House in Nairobi today." The historic meeting was not a social call but a critical high-level gathering focused on one of Africa’s most pressing challenges: the peace and security situation in the Eastern DRC. The two leaders are attending a "joint meeting of the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Co-Chairs with the Panel of Facilitators for the DRC Peace Process."
The meeting is being co-chaired by President Ruto, who holds the role of the "current EAC Chairperson," and President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, who "chairs the SADC." The collaboration between these two regional blocs is a "concerted push to harmonise peace efforts and bring stability to the volatile eastern DRC." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscored the strategic importance of the gathering, stating that the Nairobi meeting aims to "align efforts between EAC and SADC-led initiatives and reinforce regional coordination in the DRC." This alignment is seen as a "strong demonstration of Africa's commitment to Africa-led solutions for regional and continental peace and stability."
Uhuru Kenyatta's presence is particularly significant. The former President is participating in the deliberations in his "official capacity as a facilitator of the EAC-led Nairobi Process on the Peace and Security Situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo." His role as a key mediator was formally established in March when a "joint summit of EAC and the SADC appointed Uhuru Kenyatta and four other former African heads of state to lead peace talks in the DRC." The panel of esteemed facilitators also includes "Olusegun Obasanjo - Nigerian former President, Kgalema Motlanthe - former South African president, Catherine Samba-Panza - former President of the Central African Republic and Sahle-Work Zewde - former President of Ethiopia."
This unified approach to diplomacy and conflict resolution is not new for the former Kenyan President. He had previously been appointed in "February" as a facilitator of the joint peace process alongside "former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo and former Ethiopian prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn." The image of the current and former Kenyan leaders working side-by-side to advance a common regional goal sends a powerful message of political maturity and collective purpose. The meeting marks a crucial step in consolidating regional efforts, highlighting the shared responsibility of African leaders in steering the continent towards lasting peace.
