The government says at least 11 heads of state have confirmed their attendance of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s swearing-in on Tuesday.
About 13 others will be sending either their country’s second-in-command, a special envoy or a minister, sources at the Foreign Affairs ministry have told the Nation.
Top on the list of the heads of state attending Mr Kenyatta’s second and final term swearing-in has Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose office was quoted by the Times of Israel saying he will land on Tuesday morning, and leave later in the afternoon.
Others are Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Botswana’s Ian Khama, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, John Pombe Magufuli of Tanzania, Edgar Lungu of Zambia, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Namibia’s Hage Geingob, Faure Gnassingbé of Togo, Mohamed Farmajo of Somalia, and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia.
Countries that will send the second in command— either the prime minister or the vice presidents— are Nigeria, Guinea, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Yemen.
Senegal, China and Japan will send special envoys while South Africa, Britain, Ukraine, and India will send ministers.
President Kenyatta, with his deputy William Ruto, will be sworn in for a second term following the Supreme Court November 20 decision to uphold his October 26 repeat presidential election that was boycotted by his main challenger Raila Odinga.
In 2013, when he took over the reins of power in his first term, 12 heads of state attended the fete at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
-nation.co.ke
