News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.
WITH only three days to go, the government is yet to reveal the exact number of foreign dignitaries who will attend the Friday’s promulgation of the new constitution.
He colorful ceremony will take place at the Jamhuri Park, Nairobi. Government spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua said the detailed program will be issued to-day {Tuesday} by the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President Ambassador Francis Muthaura,who is also the head of civil service and secretary to the cabinet.
However, a statement by the Presidential Press Unit also confirmed that ceremony’s details of events will be issued comprehensively by Mr Muthaura later today.
But highly placed sources in the capital, Nairobi have intimated that over six heads of state, mainly from the East African Community member countries will be in the country by Thursday evening.
Those foreign dignitaries expected to attend this historical ceremony will include Presidents Jakaya Kikwete {Tanzania} Yoweri Museveni {Uganda},Paul Kagame {Rwanda} , President Pierre Nkurunziza {Burundi}, Silva Kir of Southern Sudan and South Affrican President Jacob Zuma.
Members of the Panel of Eminent Persons who midwife the National Peace Accord in 2008will also attend the high-profile ceremony.
President Mwai Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the Vice President Kalonzo Muyoka will lead the cabinet Minister in taking the new, but solemn oath to protect and uphold the new constitution.
The function will be preceded by military parade complete with 21 gun salute in honor of the Commander-In Chief and mark the birth of the second Republic of Kenya.
In a departure from a tradition, the military for the first time will sing the national anthem alongside the instrumatalics.
The 21 gun salute is a military tradition that is exclusively in honor of the Commander In Chief and signifies the birth of a new Kenya like it happened at the independence celebrations in 1963.
The military will display its best skills like what the Chief of the General Staff Lt.Gen Jeremiah Kianga had hinted earlier’
Meanwhile President Kikwete’s attendance is still in doubt following sad news that the head of state of Tanzania had collapsed while delivering a speech in the country’s lakeside town of Mwanza last Sunday.
Kikwete according to the same source had collapsed after delivering a speech on Sunday, during the African Inland Church of Tanzania seminary held in a stadium in Mwanza Town.
PRESIDENT Kikwete and the State House sources in Dar Es Salaam later attributed the collapse to fatigue.
It says, midway through his speech, President Kikwete had asked AICT followers converged at the stadium to allow him to speak while seated, saying he felt rather exhausted.
President Kikwete, however, quickly recovered and continued to preside at the well attended function.
But even when seated, his voice gradually failed and slumped on his chair shortly after winding up his speech prompting his aides to surround him and carried him away to an isolated room within the stadium, apparently for First Aide.
The panic gripped AICT followers who were anxious to know what had befallen President Kikwete, compelling the AICT presiding Bishop Musa Magwezela to appeal to the congregation to pray for the quick recovery of the head of state.
The Mwanza Regional commissioner Abbas Kandoro who had accompanied the president’s aides as they carried him away immediately returned to the stadium after five minutes and allayed fears over the head of state’s health
He said the President was in good health, and blamed his collapse to fatigue and exhaustion could by busy schedule of the on-gong presidential election campaign.
Kikwete reappeared at the stadium 15 minutes later and assured the crowd at the parked stadium that he was well,. H said the exhaustion had taken toll on him and continued to preside over the ceremony.
He launched a fund raising drive and pledged T shs one million towards the development fund of the Tanzania Albinos Society in Mwanza region..
“ I am now strong.. I now want to take this opportunity to lkaunch the fundraising drive let me first start by offering my personal contribution of Tshs 1 million,” he sidamid cheers.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com