Ankole diplomacy: Ruto lobbies for Raila's AUC candidature in Uganda

Kenyan President William Ruto and his political rival-turned-ally Raila Odinga spent Monday in Kisozi, Uganda, meeting with President Yoweri Museveni.

They were pictured at the expansive country home, chatting while helping to herd Museveni's cows, a case of what has been referred to as 'cow diplomacy'.

Historically, it is well known that cows hold significant value in Ugandan society, much like in many other regional countries. As noticed on various occasions, the Ugandan leader has hosted high-level meetings while grazing his long-horned cows at his Kisozi farm or Rwakitura.

Also discussed was the declared candidacy of Kenya's former Prime Minister @RailaOdinga for the Africa Union Commission chairmanship. pic.twitter.com/zV7ucQDHa4

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) February 26, 2024

Ruto stated that the three leaders discussed pressing issues affecting both East African countries, including energy and petroleum.

More significantly, he extended his diplomatic efforts to advocate for Raila, who is vying to succeed Chadian Moussa Faki Mahamat next February as chair of the African Union Commission (AUC).

The two Kenyan leaders departed Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi aboard the Presidential jet at 9.17 am, landing in Entebbe at 10.11 am before proceeding to Kisozi, President Museveni's rural home in central Uganda.

The Presidential jet, a Fokker 70 operated by the Kenya Airforce, typically flies under the code name Kenya01 when the head of state is on board.

However, it flew to Uganda under the call sign Iris200, as indicated by the flight radar, possibly to avoid drawing attention.

Call signs are used by Air Traffic Control to denote a specific flight.

The visit marks President Ruto's inaugural public diplomatic engagement on the candidacy of Raila, who has served as the AU's High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa.

It also affirms that Nairobi has chosen Raila, leader of the opposition's Azimio la Umoja coalition and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) as its candidate for the top position in the continental body.

President William Ruto is pictured with opposition leader Raila Odinga at Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's Kisozi country home on February 26, 2024. (Photo: PCS)

While President Ruto may have lobbied for Raila during closed-door meetings during the AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it remains uncertain whether President Museveni has endorsed his candidacy.

In 2017, Uganda was accused of failing to vote for Kenya's candidate, then Foreign minister Amina Mohamed, when she bid for the job.

South Sudan's Foreign Minister, then the Ambassador to Ethiopia, James Morgan, said Kenya failed to convince even some of its closest allies from East Africa to back Mohamed.

"South Sudan voted for Kenya but it is surprising that Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti and Tanzania did not vote for Kenya during the stages. We think it has to do with how Kenya relates with its neighbours," Morgan said in an interview at the time.

Kampala denied the accusation that it did not back Kenya's candidate and accused the media, in a statement, of baseless assertions questioning its commitment to Mohamed, who had been endorsed by the regional bloc, the East African Community (EAC).

"Uganda wishes to state categorically that our support for the candidature of Amina Mohamed, before and during elections, was unequivocal," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement in 2017.

Regarding the EAC, Ruto said on Monday that, "Kenya and Uganda are committed to the deepening of the long-established diplomatic and economic ties between our two countries. This relationship includes bringing all the seven East African Community nations closer in their ultimate goal to form the East African Political Federation."