Nairobi, Jan. 27 -- A week ago, a jovial Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya's former president, emerged from a Uganda Airlines plane at the N'Djili International Airport, Kinshasa, where he was travelling to attend the inauguration of DR Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi, who had won a second term in the December presidential election.

When his media team shared the pictures on social media, there was a buzz, with many wondering how the Kenyan leader was flying a "foreign" airline when there were several options, including the Kenyan flag carrier, KQ.

It turns out that he was offered a ride in the Ugandan carrier, which also ferried the country's Vice-President Jessica Alupo, who represented President Yoweri Museveni at the event.

Later, his media...