Ruto and Uhuru Reunite at State House for Powerful Peace Push in DRC Crisis

In a rare and powerful moment in Kenyan politics, President William Ruto and former President Uhuru Kenyatta were seen together again on August 1, 2025. The two leaders met at the State House in Nairobi for an important mission, to push for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

This meeting wasn’t just about Kenya. It brought together two major regional blocs: the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Both are working to stop the violence in the eastern parts of the DRC. 

President Ruto is the current chair of the EAC, and he co-hosted the meeting with Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who leads the SADC. President Mnangagwa arrived in Kenya the evening before the meeting. 

The goal of this high-level meeting is to unite African leaders and make sure all peace efforts for DRC are moving in the same direction. The eastern region of the DRC has been suffering from violence, rebel activity, and humanitarian crises for years. 

According to Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting is meant to align the peace talks led by both EAC and SADC and to make sure that everyone is working together. It’s a strong message that Africa is serious about solving its own problems. 

“The Nairobi meeting brings together regional leadership with a focus on the ongoing peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the ministry said in a statement. 

It added that the meeting will also allow the facilitators, those leading the talks, to brief leaders on the current progress and challenges in the DRC. 

Uhuru Kenyatta was not just a guest. He was there in his official role as one of the key facilitators of the EAC-led Nairobi Process on peace and security in eastern DRC. 

Earlier in the year, in March, a major summit held by both EAC and SADC had appointed Uhuru and four other respected former African heads of state to lead the peace talks. 

That summit was also led by Ruto and Mnangagwa. They appointed former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza, and Ethiopia’s former President Sahle-Work Zewde. 

Each of these leaders brings deep experience in governance, diplomacy, and conflict resolution. Their job is to help mediate between warring parties and guide the peace process to a successful outcome. 

Before this, Uhuru had already been appointed in February as a key facilitator for both the EAC and SADC peace efforts in eastern DRC. He was joined in this role by Obasanjo and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. 

Their combined efforts aim to help stop the suffering of millions of people in eastern DRC. The area has been home to rebel attacks, displacement, and deep ethnic tensions. 

This meeting at State House is the latest sign that African nations are taking control of their peace processes. Rather than relying on Western-led interventions, they are showing unity and strength in solving African problems. 

Observers say the presence of both Ruto and Uhuru, who had political differences in recent years, shows how serious the issue of DRC peace is. When leaders come together despite past tensions, it sends a strong message. 

Photos of Ruto and Uhuru together quickly went viral on social media, with many praising the moment as a symbol of African unity. 

The inclusion of respected former presidents from across the continent shows that Africa is using its most experienced voices to lead the way. 

Peace in DRC will not come overnight, but the Nairobi meeting is a hopeful step. It shows that the continent is ready to take leadership, with Kenya at the center of these efforts. 

As the world watches, Africa is writing a new story, one of collaboration, unity, and hope for the millions who have suffered from war and instability. 

If these leaders succeed, it will be a major step not just for DRC, but for all of Africa.