President William Ruto and Narok Senator Ledama Olekina shared a light-hearted moment after Ruto broke into a birthday song for the legislator during his tour of Kisii County.
The unexpected gesture offered a glimpse into the changing relationship between the two leaders, who were previously on opposing sides of the political divide, with Olekina among the outspoken critics of Ruto’s administration.
The moment unfolded during a rally when Olekina, who was on stage, invited the President to join him in the birthday celebrations.
Ruto responded by asking the crowd to celebrate the senator before singing directly to him.
“Huyu jamaa, tumwambie happy birthday,” the President said before breaking into the familiar birthday tune.
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday Olekina, Happy birthday Olekina, Happy birthday to you,” he sang.
Olekina appeared delighted by the gesture, thanking the President after the performance.
The interaction comes against the backdrop of changing political alignments ahead of the 2027 General Election, following the cooperation agreement between the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
For years, Olekina had been an outspoken opponent of Ruto, particularly over the cost of living, taxation and the direction of his administration.
However, the senator recently explained how the late ODM leader Raila Odinga influenced his decision to work with the President, revealing that Raila had personally visited his home and asked him to mobilise Maasai leaders for consultations on the proposed cooperation.
Speaking during a November 8 interview on Citizen TV’s Sunday Live, Olekina said he had abandoned what he described as the politics of noise-making in favour of development.
“I stopped the politics of noise-making, and I delved into the politics of delivery, that is why today Narok Airport is 90% complete.” he said.
He further argued that cooperation with the government had helped secure development projects for Narok, including roads.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the senator’s changing political position has placed him among the leaders navigating the emerging relationship between ODM and Ruto’s administration.