Social distancing nightmare during Madaraka Day celebrations in Kisumu

The venue of this year’s Madaraka day celebrations in Kisumu was filled to capacity on Tuesday.

The high number of people who turned up for the national event held at the Jomo Kenyatta International sports complex saw critical Covid-19 containment measures, such as social distancing thrown out of the window.

Although the celebrations committee had indicated weeks before the event that only 3, 000 invited guests would access the complex, all the 17 spectator stands erected around the stadium were full to capacity with exuberant Kenyans who thronged the celebration’s venue to witness the country marked its 58th Madaraka day.

The huge turn-out that made a mockery of the Ministry of Health protocols on social distancing also put to focus the exact capacity of the Sh500 million facility built by the ministry of sports to accommodate 30,000 people.

Even as the protocol officers kept reminding invited guests at the venue to ensure Covid-19 protocols are observed, it was clear those occupying the stands were unable to keep social distance as required.

Kisumu and a number of other Lake Region counties have in the recent past witnessed surging Covid-19 cases forcing the county leadership to roll out fresh guidelines to keep the disease at bay.

Upon landing in the lakeside city, State House spokesperson Kanze Dena on Saturday asked the residents to follow the event on their TVs and avoid crowding as a way to safeguard themselves from the vicious virus.

The host county has reported cases of the lethal Indian variant of Covid-19.

At the gates leading into the expansive stadium, security agencies that included the military police, police officers, prison warders and national youth service (NYS) officers left nothing to chance.

Apart from screening guests, the hawk-eyed officers also ensured no one slipped through the entrances without a face mask on.

A dedicated team of health officials from the county government of Kisumu were on standby to sanitize those streaming in.

The celebrations attended by the high and mighty from all walks of life that included top government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and other dignitaries however went on smoothly.

The State House band, the maroon commandos and renowned artists mostly from the Nyanza region kept the guests entertained before President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived.

The maroon commandos band drawn from the 7 Kenya riffle ( Kenya Army’s infantry) wowed the crowd belting out tunes like Charonyi Ni Wasi tune.

Political leaders, among them, the former vice president Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka who is also the wiper Democratic party leader sat pensively as they waited for the arrival of President Kenyatta and his state guest, the president of Burundi Everiste Ndayishimiye.

ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, speakers Justin Muturi(National Assembly), Kenneth Lusaka (Senate), Governors Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay), Anyan’g Nyong’o (Kisumu) Senators Gideon Moi (Baringo) James Orengo (Siaya) and a host of mainly from Nyanza were already at the main dais moments before 11 am.

Chief Justice Martha Koome and several cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries also arrived early for the national event.

At 11.10 am, Captain Zephaniah Onyango, the parade adjutant led the defence forces personnel who mounted the guard of honour into the football pitch ahead of inspection by the Commander-In-Chief

A few minutes later, Deputy President William Ruto, accompanied by Rachel Ruto arrived for the celebrations.

The DP arrived ahead of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM ) leader Raila Odinga and President Kenyatta and his Burundi counterpart.

Odinga arrived into the stadium moments later to wild cheers and jubilation from the crowd followed shortly by president Ndayishimiye and his wife Angeline Ndayubaha.

Moments later, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta made her way into the celebration's venue followed almost immediately by President Kenyatta at exactly 11 .48 am.

Before the president’s arrival, a Kenya Navy officer who was part of the parade collapsed and had to be helped out of the field.

Uhuru’s motorcade, accompanied by police outriders went around the football field, with the head of state riding atop the ceremonial Commander-In-Chief vehicle.

He proceeded to inspect the guard of honour, closely escorted by the Chief of the Defence Forces Robert Kibochi .

A Turkano aircraft, F -5 jets from the flying wing of the Kenya Air Force added to the fanfare, moving in diamond formations.

Another helicopter, captained by two female pilots electrified the guests as they flew past the presidential dais.

The entertainment segment was taken a notch higher when jumpmaster, Sammy Tirop led paratrooper colleagues from the Green Eagles of Kenya Army among them Joseph Munayi, in dropping while flying the Kenyan flag.

John Njoroge, Kali Mwema Obadiah Midie, Jacob Lalilaina, all from the Green Eagles dropped to the amazement of guests while flying different flags.

But it was a collabo performed by a joint team of artists in praise of President Kenyatta and Raila Odinga and the handshake that sent those in attendance, including Uhuru and his Burundi counterpart, into a frenzy.