Archbishop Arthur Kitonga prays for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his
deputy William Ruto during a thanksgiving service at Redeemed Gospel
Church, Huruma, in Nairobi on Sunday. The two leaders will be sworn into
office on November 28, 2017. PHOTO | PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta will be sworn in for a second and final
term Tuesday in an elaborate judicial and military ceremony amid
massive security.
The presence of a dozen, possibly
more, heads of state and government, among them Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, has necessitated a massive security operation
involving the closure of many city roads and estimated to cost Sh250
million.
The Judiciary has planned the administration of the presidential oath of office, for which it will rehearse on Monday.
President
Kenyatta will be taking the oath in different circumstances from 2013,
when his victory was challenged in the Supreme Court, but upheld.
COMPLICATED
This
time round, the same court nullified his August 8 re-election and
ordered a fresh election, which was held on October 26, but also
challenged. And although he prevailed in court the second time, the
Opposition refuses to recognise his election.
The Israeli are very security-conscious and the presence of Mr Netanyahu makes the security arrangements even more complicated.
When
he came to Kenya in July last year, the security requirements for Mr
Netanyahu caused untold traffic snarl-ups in the city, so much so that
he had to apologise — albeit in jest — following an uproar on social
media. Roads were blocked for his motorcade, always escorted by a police
helicopter.
“We expect many international visitors,
many heads of state,” Nairobi County Police Commander Japhet Koome told
journalists on Saturday.
“Therefore, there will be no compromise on security that day; no compromise at all.
“We
have what we’ve marked as the red zone, where there will be maximum
security. There, it’s serious business. Anybody causing trouble along
the red zone will be dealt with according to the law, and firmly.”
DEPLOYED
Mr
Koome, however, refused to disclose the exact number of police officers
who will be deployed, only saying it was a multi-agency operation.
The
roads marked as “red zones”, and which will be closed or partially open
but with tight security, are Uhuru Highway, Museum Hill, Wangari
Maathai Road (former Forest Road) and Thika Superhighway all the way to
Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The
Assumption of Office of the President Committee has budgeted Sh384
million for the half-day fete at the Kasarani stadium, Sh10 million more
than in 2013.
Unlike in 2013, however, the ceremony
will not have a handover of the instruments of power and the
Constitution, which happens when a new president is taking over.
The
Head of State and his deputy will individually take the oath of
allegiance and that of due execution of office, to be administered by
Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi before Chief Justice David
Maraga.
The President will then sign the oaths before
the CJ also appends his signature and thereafter hand them to the Head
of State, with the deputy going through the same process.
The President will then be honoured with a 21-gun salute by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to welcome its commander-in-chief.
NETANYAHU
And
while the government had said it expected more than 20 heads of state,
which it later revised upwards to 26, it emerged on Sunday that this
figure might have been overstated. Sources at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs said just over 10, and maybe not above 15, heads of state will
attend the function.
Besides Mr Netanyahu, heads of
state who had confirmed their attendance by last night were those from
Tanzania, Uganda, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia, Ethiopia, Djibouti,
Togo and Somalia.
Those who will send the second in
command — either the prime minister or vice-president — are Nigeria,
Guinea, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi and
Yemen. Senegal, China and Japan will send special envoys while South
Africa, Britain, Ukraine and India will send Cabinet ministers.
The US State Department told the Nation in Washington its delegation will be led by Ambassador Robert Godec.
The
security budget, sources said, is dedicated to planning, intelligence
gathering and coordination, as well as patrols around the city and
surveillance at Kasarani.
Hundreds of police officers
have been called up from the counties to secure the function and patrol
the city before and during the event.
FIRE BRIGADE
On
Thursday, Chief of the Security and Protocol of the Assumption of the
Office of President Committee Joseph Irungu said security officers from
specialised units would also be stationed at hotels set aside for guests
and at airports.
They include officers from the
Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Kenya Police, Administration
Police, General Service Unit, Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, the Bomb
Disposal Unit and other specialised units.
They will be
assisted by Nairobi County askaris, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya
Forest Service, National Youth Service and Nairobi Fire Brigade.
Government
Spokesman Eric Kiraithe last week said the event will be open to the
public but with tight security at the 60,000-seater stadium with large
screens mounted outside to accommodate 40,000 more.
There
have been concerns that supporters of opposition Nasa and those
attending the swearing-in may clash in the city, as the former will also
be holding a meeting on the same day, a scenario Britain has warned
about.
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