President William Ruto on Monday hosted a delegation of Members of Parliament from Kakamega County at State House, Nairobi. However, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale was notably absent from the meeting.
Dr. Khalwale’s absence comes amid a frosty political relationship between him and President Ruto, which recently culminated in his removal as Senate Majority Whip.
Once regarded as a close ally of the Head of State—especially during the lead-up to the 2022 General Election—the Kakamega senator has in recent years emerged as a vocal critic of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
His sharp criticism of government policies reportedly strained ties with the ruling party, United Democratic Alliance (UDA), where he had previously been a prominent figure.
The State House meeting was attended by several Kakamega lawmakers said to be backing President Ruto’s re-election bid. Among them were Kakamega Woman Representative Elsie Muhanda and Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe.
Political observers note that the growing rift between Dr. Khalwale and President Ruto appears deep-rooted, with little indication of reconciliation in the near future.
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