By David Odhiambo, Diaspora Times UK Correspondent

During his official visit to Nairobi State House on July 30, 2025, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni delivered an icy diplomatic message. While warmly greeting Kenyan President William Ruto with a firm handshake, he sharply declined to shake hands with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, instead offering only waves and verbal nods.

For many observers, the gesture was more than protocol—it was a cold rebuff. In Uganda, Museveni has long avoided handshakes in formal settings due to health precautions and personal preferences. Yet, optics matter: refusing physical contact with senior Kenyan officials during a State House welcome is unprecedented and widely interpreted as a diplomatic slight  

Online reaction was swift. Social media users created memes mocking the snub, with captions like “So this is the one who replaced my friend…”, referencing the deputy president’s contentious rise in politics.   

State media suggests the refusal to shake hands was a personal precaution—likely motivated by lingering concerns from the COVID‑19 and Mpox eras. Museveni has previously limited physical contact in public to avoid health risks, but for many Kenyans and political commentators, the gesture carried undertones of personal or political rebuke.

Given Kithure Kindiki’s recent appointment as Deputy President—an appointment still under legal dispute -the snub has been widely read as a silent commentary on Kenya’s evolving power dynamics.

Museveni went on to deliver his keynote address and pose for photographs—yet the refusal to physically acknowledge senior officials drew sharp questions. In diplomatic circles, handshake avoidance can be read as passive-aggressive distancing, especially when all other leaders were introduced in the same lineup and received the standard protocol.

Binding handshakes have long been symbolic of solidarity and mutual respect. In this case, the omission felt like a public rebuff. As one diplomat observed, “If you shake a king but refuse a prince, everyone notices.”

While Kenya and Uganda maintain close economic and political relations, this public snub introduces awkward undertones. Was it a mere gesture, or a veiled rebuke of Ruto’s choices—especially in reshaping Kenya’s leadership?

Whether Museveni meant to send a message or simply kept old habits, the optics have delivered a clear message: some relationships require more than protocol—they demand politics.

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