Former President Uhuru Kenyatta held a meeting with President William Ruto at State House Nairobi on Friday, August 1, 2025. This marks the first time the two leaders have met at State House since Uhuru left office.
The meeting is part of a joint East African Community (EAC)–Southern African Development Community (SADC) initiative aimed at advancing the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Former President Kenyatta attended in his capacity as one of the facilitators of the DRC Peace Process, while President Ruto participated as the current Chairperson of the EAC. They co-chaired the session alongside Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the current SADC Chairperson.
Uhuru Meets Ruto at State House to Discuss Progress of DRC Peace Talks
Also present was Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
The high-level gathering brought together key EAC, SADC, and AUC officials to officially appoint a panel of five facilitators tasked with steering peace efforts in eastern DRC.
The objective of the meeting was to harmonise regional peace efforts and improve coordination between the Nairobi and Luanda processes to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region.
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This engagement came just a day after the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Rwanda, together with observers from the United States, Qatar, Togo, and the AUC, held the inaugural session of the Joint Oversight Committee for the Peace Agreement signed in Washington, D.C., on June 27, 2025.
The committee is responsible for implementing the agreement, resolving disputes, addressing violations, and facilitating peaceful settlements.
Former President Appointed Key Facilitator in DRC Peace Talks
Former President Kenyatta was appointed a key facilitator in the DRC peace talks, specifically for the merged Nairobi and Luanda peace processes.
In February 2025, during a Joint Summit of EAC and SADC Heads of State in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Kenyatta was named a joint facilitator alongside former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.
The panel was formed in response to the worsening security crisis in eastern DRC, particularly involving the M23 rebel group at the time.
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In March 2025, the EAC-SADC summit expanded the facilitation panel to include five former African leaders, adding former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe and former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza to Kenyatta, Obasanjo, and Desalegn (replacing Sahle-Work Zewde).
This panel, described as a “Panel of Elders,” was tasked with fast-tracking peace efforts, with a focus on achieving an immediate ceasefire and fostering inclusive dialogue.
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