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Uhuru’s swearing-in to start at 10am

By JOHN NGIRACHU November 28th, 2017 2 min read

If you plan to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Uhuru Kenyatta at Safaricom Stadium in Kasarani on Tuesday, be seated by 9am, the team organising the event said after overseeing the dress rehearsal.

The ceremony should start at exactly 10am as the law says, Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho said on Monday.

“This is a time-bound function because the president must be sworn in between 10am and 2pm,” Dr Kibicho told journalists at the stadium.

HANDOVER OF POWER

The Assumption of the Office of President Act provides for the handover of power after the election of a new president and his deputy.

Dr Kibicho said Sh384 million had been budgeted for the event and Jamhuri Day celebrations on December 12.

The organisers expect 60,000 people inside the stadium and have set up giant screens outside for the estimated 40,000 Kenyans who will not fit in.

The stadium gates are expected to be open at 4am.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Monica Juma said more than 43 delegations — groups of people representing countries or organisations — are expected at the ceremony.

Dr Juma said she could not give the number of heads of state and government who would attend the inauguration of Mr Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.

Among the dignitaries expected is Prince Amyn Aga Khan, who will represent His Highness the Aga Khan.

Prince Amyn is His Highness the Aga Khan’s personal representative to Kenya and is also in the country for meetings of the Tourism Promotion Services, which operates the Serena Group of hotels, lodges and resorts.

REHEARSAL

At the stadium, the team oversaw the rehearsal, which was complete with a mock swearing-in ceremony of the two leaders.

Mr Jasper Mbiuki played the role of the chief registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi.

He went through the steps she would take in today’s ceremony.

Ms Amadi will be at the centre of the ceremony as she is the one to lead President Uhuru Kenyatta in taking the oath of allegiance and the oath for the execution of the functions of office.

Mr Ruto will also take the same oaths for a second time, the first being in 2013.

A military officer stood in for Chief Justice David Maraga, whose role is limited to witnessing the ceremony and signing the certificate of inauguration.

On the pitch, detachments from the Kenya Defence Forces stood in the sun the same way they would on Tuesday and when the “swearing-in” was done and Mr Mbiuki had finished, they practised the three cheers for their commander-in-chief.

There was also a rehearsal of the deafening 21-gun salute that would follow.

Like he did in the 2013 ceremony, gospel musician Rufftone (real name Roy Smith Mwatia) will perform his song “Mungu Baba”.

A mix of groups and a traditional Maasai troupe will also perform.