Kasarani closed from Thursday for swearing in
Kasarani Stadium will be sealed off from Thursday in readiness for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s swearing in ceremony, Nairobi News has learnt.
This despite an ongoing case at the Supreme Court whose results could potentially postpone this State function by up to three months.
On Wednesday, the Kenya Premier League released a statement confirming Sunday’s “Mashemeji derby” pitting AFC Leopards against Gor Mahia had been moved to the Nyayo Stadium.
“This latest change of venue has been prompted by Kasarani’s hesitation to make their facility available for the match to be hosted there because the stadium is being prepared for the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect,” the league body’s statement read in part.
CLOSEST CHALLENGER
President Kenyatta defeated his closest challenger Raila Odinga with 8,203,290 votes to 6,762, 224 votes in the August 8 election, according to official results by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
He was set to be sworn in on August 29, as per the constitution, barring a petition at the Supreme Court, in an elaborate event that had former US President Barack Obama among the invited guests.
Mr Odinga has, however, challenged the results in the highest court in Kenya, effectively moving the swearing in ceremony to mid-September, at the earliest -and this in the event that President Kenyatta’s victory is upheld.
The other alternative by the seven-team Judge bench headed by Justice Maraga entails annulling Kenyatta’s victory and ordering for a repeat of the presidential election within 60 days.
In this scenario event, the swearing in for the country’s next President will have to wait for up to 90 days.
