Several heads of State or their deputies and heads of delegation have joined thousands of Kenyans at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi to witness the swearing-in of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto for their second term in office.
Among the leaders present are presidents Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Edgar Lungu (Zambia), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Ismail Omar Guelleh (Djibouti), Ian Khama (Botswana), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmajo” (Somalia), Hage Geingob (Namibia) and Ali Bongo (Gabon).
Also present is Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, African Union representatives Pierre Buyoya and Rupiah Banda, special envoys from Eritrea and Zambia and former Senegalese Prime Minister Aminata Touré.
The Prime Minister of Togo, Mamadi Youla, also arrived in the country on Sunday.
MINISTERS
Foreign Affairs ministers from Palestine and India and Algeria’s Speaker of the National Assembly also represented their countries.
Nigeria Vice President Yemi Osinbalo is also representing his country while neighbouring Tanzania has sent Vice President Samia Suluhu to represent President John Pombe Magufuli.
Former presidents Thabo Mbeki of South African and John Dramani Mahama of Ghana are also among the foreign dignitaries attending the swearing-in ceremony.
KASARANI
The foreign leaders and government representatives started streaming into the Kasarani Stadium from 8am.
There were delegations from 47 countries attending the celebrations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also arrived in Nairobi to take part in the celebrations.
This is the second time the Israeli leader is visiting Kenya within a span of two years, having been in the country for a state visit in July 2016.
Several countries from America, Europe, Middle East and the Far East also sent delegations to represent them at the auspicious occasion.
President Kenyatta was sworn in after he won the October 26 repeat election in which he won 98 per cent of the votes cast.
-nation.co.ke
