Goodbye Kibaki, welcome President Kenyatta

President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta. 

 

By NATION Team newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Monday, April 8  2013 

 

In Summary

• Kenya’s fourth President to be sworn in at event to be attended by 25 Heads of StateinShare

Kenya will on Tuesday swear in its fourth president in a peaceful civilian transfer of power.

Retiring President Kibaki will hand over the instruments of office to Mr Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta at the ceremony on Tuesday morning at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

At 51, Mr Kenyatta is Kenya’s youngest President.

Mr Kenyatta was a toddler when his father, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, was handed the reins of power by the British 50 years ago and 41 when President Kibaki trounced him and took over from Daniel arap Moi in 2002.

Tuesday’s ceremony also marks a transfer of power to a younger generation of leaders working under a progressive new Constitution.

The eyes of the nation will be on Mr Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto as they will have the task of fully implementing the new Constitution and lead a government whose ministers will not be Members of Parliament and contend with a truly free Judiciary.

On the international front, Western powers maintain that Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto should adhere to Kenya’s international obligations, interpreted locally to mean that they should honour ICC summons.

In a message to the new leaders on Monday, former Attorney-General Amos Wako said: “The torch of leadership is being passed from those who were involved in the struggle for independence to those who were educated, grew up and matured in post-independent Kenya.”

On Monday, Mr Kenyatta moved office from the Kenyatta International Conference Centre to Harambee House.

The Presidential Press Service reported that Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto “held separate meetings with various senior government officials and political leaders at the President’s Harambee House office.

“The meetings dealt with a wide range of issues ahead of assumption of office after the swearing-in slated for tomorrow (Tuesday),” the PPS said in a brief statement.

Mr Kenyatta was also reported to be putting final touches to his preparations for Tuesday.

Apart from the expected colour of the event — the military’s guard of honour, the entertainment, the march past — Kenyans will be watching to see what he makes the theme of his first speech as President.

It is understood that Mr Kenyatta will want to keep his speech short, concise, memorable and inspiring.

On the preparations, outgoing Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Njoroge Ndirangu said adequate security has been provided for all the people who will attend Tuesday’s event.

He said enough police officers had been posted to the estates to ensure residents were secure.

“The government has put in place elaborate plans to ensure that the ceremony proceeds without any incidents of breach of peace and security,” Mr Ndirangu said at a press conference in his office.

All estates will have extra police officers after Inspector General of police Kimaiyo warned of plans by some groups to cause chaos when the event gets under way. 

Mr Ndirangu encouraged city residents to attend the ceremony.

“The gates to the venue will be opened at 6am for the public. The stadium has modern facilities that will ensure everybody attending the ceremony is comfortable,” he said.

At Kasarani on Monday, about 600 police officers took charge at the stadium. The public watched from the stands as the artistes did their final rehearsals.

City county workers hoisted flags from the countries whose heads of states or representatives would presumably be attending the swearing-in.

By 3pm, flags for Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia, China and Zambia were flapping in the wind. Head of Civil Service Francis Kimemia said on Monday 25 Heads of State had confirmed attendance.

Senators from the Jubilee Coalition were given the responsibility of receiving dignitaries. For instance, Kericho Senator Charles Keter received Tanzania president Jakaya Kikwete.

MPs have been given invitation cards to bring their friends, families and supporters to sit in the lower VIP section.

MPs, Permanent Secretaries, judges and governors will all be transported to Kasarani, said Mr Kimemia.

Heeded complaints

At Kasarani, event organizers had also heeded complaints from broadcast journalists and replaced the tent covering the VIP area behind the main dais.

Tent installer Nomadic Tents Ltd had initially erected a coned tent to cover the seats from the rain but the result was a darkened area making it difficult to film.

Mr Ayub Kiplagat, the Managing Director of Nomadic Tents said: “We have used a tent that takes any shape to suit the environment. You may notice darkness in there but those charged with lighting the area should correct that before the event.”

Organizers expect about 60,000 people to attend.

Because of the provisions in the constitution, the swearing in is being held 36 days after the March 4 election.

With the declaration of Mr Kenyatta the winner of the presidential election disputed by Raila Odinga, Kenya had to wait for the conclusion of the petition he filed.

The Supreme Court announced its decision to uphold the election on March 31, 14 days after the petition was filed and after a week of legal drama at the seat of the Judiciary in Nairobi.

Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto will begin to feel the greater effect of the Constitution as soon as they set out to accomplish their goals by nominating their Cabinet.

There can be no fewer than 14 and not more than 22 Cabinet Secretaries. Appointment can only be confirmed after approval by the National Assembly. 

Principal Secretaries are the administrators and chief accounting officers of the State Departments.

Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto have to nominate them from among persons recommended by the Public Service Commission and they, too, have to be approved by the National Assembly.

Coming from a divisive election, Mr Kenyatta also faces the task of reuniting the Kenyans who supported him and those who did not.

“You are the first President elected under the new Constitution and therefore there are heavy responsibilities on your shoulders and big challenges that face you. There is therefore need to for you to re-commit yourself through actions and interventions to ensure that the letter and spirit of the entire Constitution is implemented,” Mr Wako, now the Busia Senator, told him.