• Ruto will take two oaths; – one pledging allegiance to the Constitution and the second is the solemn affirmation of due execution of office of president.
• 17 Presidents, eight Prime Ministers and Deputy Presidents and seven foreign ministers had by Sunday confirmed they will attend the inauguration ceremony.
Image: FILE
All is set for the swearing in ceremony of William Ruto as Kenya’s fifth president on Tuesday.
He will be sworn in alongside Rigathi Gachagua who will take oath as Kenya’s second Deputy President.
The historical event will take place at Kasarani stadium where gates for the 60,000 capacity stadium will be open to the public from 4 am. Also some 2,500 VIPs will be expected to grace the occasion.
A total of 17 Presidents, eight Prime Ministers and Deputy Presidents and seven foreign ministers had by Sunday confirmed they will attend the inauguration ceremony.
The function’s guard of honour is expected to be mounted by the 21st battalion of the Kenya Rifles.
On Saturday Chief of Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi personally rehearsed how instruments of power will be handed over to the incoming president.
However, it is not clear if outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta will attend the event.
Taking a look at the previous swearing in ceremony of Kenya’s presidents, it is expected that by;
- 10:00 am: All guests and members of the public are seated at the Kasarani Sports Complex.
- 10:30 am: Service Commanders (heads of Kenya Army, Kenya Navy and Kenya Airforce) arrive.
- 10:45 am: Invited Heads of State and governments arrive.
- 11:00 am: Chief of Defence Forces, General Kibochi, arrives
- 11:05 am: Chief Justice Martha Koome and Chief Registrar Anne Amadi as well as Supreme Court judges arrive.
- 11:30 am: Guard of Honour marches to position.
- 11:35 am: Deputy President-elect Rigathi Gachagua arrives.
- 11:40 am: President-elect William Ruto arrives.
- 11:45 am: President Uhuru Kenyatta arrives at Kasarani, is received by General Kibochi and escorted to the ceremonial Land-Rover to enter the stadium. After the National Anthem, Uhuru will inspect the Guard of Honour.
- 12:10 pm: Anne Amadi, the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary is the one to administer the oaths to Ruto and Gachagua. She will take to the podium and invite CJ Koome who will serve as a witness. The Chief Justice will introduce Ruto and Gachagua to the public and ask Ruto to take his position.
- President Uhuru will then hand over the Instruments of Power and Authority to Ruto, which will be followed by fanfare and the National Anthem during which Uhuru’s presidential Standard will be lowered while Ruto’s will be hoisted simultaneously.
- A 21-gun salute will follow, and Uhuru will be given his Standard by the Chief of Defence Forces.
- Ruto will then take his two oaths, after which the Guard of Honour will march off the stadium to be followed by a session of entertainment.
- Once he is sworn in, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua will invite one of the guests to make a speech on behalf of invited dignitaries and then invite outgoing President to make his valedictory speech.
- Gachagua will then deliver his speech as Deputy President and then invite Ruto to make his inaugural address to the nation.
- Once the festivities which are set to begin at 10 am and end at 2 pm are over, Uhuru will lead the way out and receive Ruto at State House where a lunch with invited Heads of State will take place before leaving the house on the hill and all it entails to him.