Gates to open early as Uhuru leads Jamhuri Day festivities

All the gates to Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, will be opened from 7am Tuesday as Kenyans celebrate 54 years since the country attained independence from Britain.

President Uhuru Kenyatta will preside over the event, which will be graced by several dignitaries.

According to the national government communications centre, a military parade and the ceremonial trooping of the colour will be conducted by the Kenya Air Force command from Moi Air Base in Eastleigh, Nairobi.

The Kenya Defence Forces formation will also host the President’s Guard of Honour and lead other armed and disciplined forces commands in a march-past, as well as pull off the flypast.

National Celebrations Committee chairman Mohamed Barre said on Monday afternoon that plans had been finalised and urged Kenyans to turn out in large numbers to celebrate the national event, the last before the Christmas and New Year festivities.

INSPECTED VENUE

“We are good to go,” Mr Barre told the Nation as he inspected the venue. “What remains is for Kenyans to fill the stadium and listen to the Head of State’s address.”

The hallmark of the celebrations will be President Kenyatta’s address to the nation. It will be his first national day function following his swearing-in on November 28 for his second and final term after the Supreme Court upheld his re-election in the October 26 fresh presidential poll.

On Sunday, Nasa leaders “postponed” their “swearing-in” of their leader and presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka as ‘The People’s President’ and his deputy, respectively, under pressure from foreign diplomats and religious leaders.

The event was to coincide with the Jamhuri Day celebrations.  

President Kenyatta’s speech is expected to focus on the just-concluded prolonged electioneering period, free day secondary education, unity of purpose for all Kenyans, security and infrastructural development.

UNITING KENYANS

The free secondary schooling is set to roll out next month, when schools open for the first term.

Governance expert Barasa Nyukuri said the President has a heavy responsibility of uniting Kenyans after the divisive polls.

READ: Why this year’s Jamhuri Day fete will be like no other

“He should not just tell Kenyans the usual stuff that he is known to do, like ‘embracing one another’, which sounds quite easier than practical, but tell the country how he is going to make it more cohesive than he has done before,” said Mr Nyukuri.

He asked the Jubilee administration not to feel as if it was doing Kenyans a favour with the free education programme.

SECURITY

“Constitutionally, education is a right that all Kenyans are entitled to, whether free or affordable,” said Mr Nyukuri. “It is not a privilege that a government gives to its people, like what Jubilee has been trying to show.”

Although the President has been clear that his government was committed to the security of all Kenyans, much of this looks to have been directed at protecting property rather than the people.

The President is also expected to detail his plan on affordable energy, a stepping stone to industrialisation, and the general infrastructure, which is the gateway to economic growth.