Magufuli to witness Kenyatta’s investiture

PRESIDENT John Magufuli is in Nairobi Kenya, again―this time, joining ten other Heads of State who are expected to attend President Uhuru Kenyatta’s swearing-in ceremony.

The ceremony will take place at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, officials saying all is well and that security will be highly guaranteed.

Mr Kenyatta, and Vice President designate William Ruto, will be sworn in for a second term following the Supreme Court’s November 20 decision to uphold his October 26 repeat presidential election that was boycotted by his main challenger, Mr Raila Odinga.

This will be the second time DrMagufuli is entering Kenya since he was elected president of Tanzania. He was in Kenya for a two-day state visit in October last year. The Head of State has stated on various occasions that he has turned down various invitations from outside the country, maintaining that he prefers to be at home most of the time, as to liberate from poverty, majority Tanzanians who voted him into office.

Dr Magufuli has visited only three countries so far, all of them in East Africa; Rwanda once, Uganda twice and today’s will be his second trip to Kenya.

According to a statement issued last week by the Director of Tanzania Information Services and Chief Government Spokesperson, Dr Hassan Abbasi, President Magufuli confirmed that he would attend the swearing-in ceremony.

According to Kenyan media reports, about 13 other Heads of State will be sending either their country’s second-incommand, a special envoy or a minister to attend the swearingin ceremony of President Kenyatta.

On the list of the heads of state expected to attend Mr Kenyatta’s second and final term swearing-in is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose office was quoted by the Times of Israel as saying he will land on Kenyan soil this morning, and leave in the afternoon.

Others are President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Botswana’s Ian Khama, Edgar Lungu of Zambia, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Namibia’s Hage Geingob, Faure Gnassingbé of Togo, Mohamed Farmajo of Somalia, and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

Countries that will send seconds in command— either prime ministers or 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.