Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and President William Ruto were seen together in public on Friday for the first time since December 2024, during a high-level meeting held at State House to assess progress in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peace process.

The session, attended by both East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) co-chairs, brought together regional leaders and top officials involved in mediation efforts.

Also present at the meeting was Zimbabwe’s President Emerson Mnangagwa, who currently chairs the SADC bloc.

Uhuru attended the session in his role as the African Union-Kenya Peace Envoy and the official facilitator of the EAC-led Nairobi peace process.

The event marked a significant moment in Kenya’s political scene, as it brought together two leaders who have largely stayed apart following the intense 2022 General Election period.

The last time they met was on December 9, 2024, in Ichaweri, Gatundu, where President Ruto paid Uhuru a visit.

That meeting, described by State House as a private courtesy call, was said to focus on regional matters and Kenya’s national interests.

“President Ruto took the opportunity to reiterate his appreciation and commendation of His Excellency President Kenyatta’s statesmanship in overseeing the peaceful transfer of power after the 2022 elections,” the State House statement read.

It added that the President “thanked Uhuru for the goodwill the former President has continued to demonstrate toward his fellow leaders and his support for Kenya’s ongoing progress and development.”

Although their public reunion may have looked cordial, their political relationship has been strained since Uhuru, then president, supported opposition leader Raila Odinga as his preferred successor rather than his own deputy, Ruto.

The rivalry dominated the 2022 campaign season, with Uhuru actively backing Raila, who eventually lost to Ruto.

Despite the political history, Ruto has maintained that leadership should be rooted in cooperation rather than division.

Speaking at a rally in Wajir shortly after the December meeting, he stressed the need for leaders to work together regardless of past political differences.

“As leaders, we must continually build bridges instead of creating barriers at a time the country needs collective input to address its challenges,” he said.

Ruto’s decision to retain Uhuru as peace envoy has drawn attention over time, particularly in the wake of their previous fallout.

During a September 2022 interview with Al Jazeera, the President was asked why he kept Uhuru in the peace role despite not backing his bid for office.

“That’s interesting, when he didn’t support you to be President. Why do you think he should stay in that role?” the interviewer asked.

In response, Ruto said, “I'm the President of Kenya, I'm the big brother now and it's in my place to work with him.”

He had made a similar point during his swearing-in ceremony on September 13, 2022.

“I have committed that the government of Kenya will support those initiatives that will be chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta. I want to thank you Uhuru Kenyatta for agreeing to support us and to help me in those interventions.”

In that same Al Jazeera interview, Ruto underlined the importance of moving forward.

“I will not allow negative energy to be build around our country. It was a competition and President Kenyatta had a candidate; his candidate did not win. I beat his candidate. That's a democratic process.”

Friday’s event at State House sent a strong message — that responsibility in leadership can rise above political rivalry.

With Kenya playing a key role in regional stability, especially in the DRC peace process, the presence of both leaders at the meeting reflected a shared commitment to peace beyond domestic politics.

Since leaving office, Uhuru has largely kept a low profile in local politics, focusing instead on his role as a regional peace envoy. His continued involvement has allowed him to maintain relevance, even as he avoids public political commentary at home.

For Ruto, bringing former political rivals into the fold has been part of a larger effort to project unity and maturity in governance.

His decision to work with Raila Odinga, through a March 7 memorandum of understanding, and to maintain working relations with Uhuru reflects a pattern of outreach.

While it is too early to say whether Friday’s appearance signals a renewed partnership, it is clear that Ruto is keen to show that leadership should put the country before political scores.

Whether the image of the two shaking hands becomes more than a moment of diplomacy remains to be seen, especially with the next general election less than two years away.