President Ruto's impromptu visit to Parliament elicits mixed reactions from MPs

President William Ruto’s impromptu visit to Parliament on Wednesday afternoon has sparked mixed reactions from the legislators.

The Head of State made a stopover in Parliament where he had his lunch; the visit caught the Parliamentary leadership, including National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula and his Senate counterpart Amason Kingi, flatfooted.

The President had crossed over to Parliament from KICC where he officiated the flagging off of Kenyan tea export to Ghana.

In the House, the Head of State relieved his days as a Member of Parliament.

He crisscrossed the corridors of the National Assembly, before queuing for lunch at Parliament’s canteen and interacting with Parliamentarians as they shared lunch together.

His surprise visit elicited mixed reactions from a section of MPs, coming a day before a ruling on the majority leadership in the National Assembly. Some now claim it may influence the decision of the Speaker on the matter.

“We have seen it, tomorrow I am expecting the Speaker to not even declare Azimio as the majority,” Mwingi West MP Charles Nguna stated.

His Lang’ata counterpart Phelix Odiwuor, alias Jalang’o, on his part said the visit was inconsequential to the ruling on Thursday.

“If you saw the President, he came down and it was an easy thing, I don’t think it should influence anything. The President’s lunch and the leadership of this House should not be put together anywhere,” Jalang’o said.

Bomet East MP Richard Yegon stated: “The President has the right to go anywhere in this country including Parliament and today was not a different case.”

The President then headed to the members' lounge where he shared light moments. On average, he is said to have spent nearly one hour in Parliament buildings.

The Commander-in-Chief left Parliament escorted by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula.