Kasarani Stadium was filled to the rafters yesterday, as thousands of delegates turned up for the official launch of Jubilee Party.
From as early as 6am, delegates from the 12 political parties that merged into JP lined up outside Kasarani Stadium, as they waited to be let in to witness the birth of Kenya’s youngest political outfit.
At the main entrance, hawk-eyed security guards frisked members of the public, and only those with accreditation badges were allowed in.
Police officers assisted by National Youth Service recruits put the delegates through a second security screening at the various gates leading into the stadium.
The stadium was dotted with the party’s thematic colours, red and yellow, and some of the 10,000-odd delegates who missed seats moving into the main football field.
Even though the day’s programme was slated to start at 9am, the chief guest, President Uhuru Kenyatta, arrived at 1.35pm, accompanied by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto and his wife Rachel.
To kill boredom, the delegates were entertained by local musicians from various parts of the country and East Africa.
Mombasa gospel songbird Anastasia Mukabwa kept the crowd on its feet with her popular hit Heshima. The delegates were electrified when she changed some lines of the song and took a swipe at critics of Jubilee.
Timmy Dat of the Welle Welle fame, gospel artists Victor Mbuvi and Size 8 also wowed the crowd, especially those who were in the middle of the field, unprotected from the scorching sun.
However, it was Philip Yegon who carried the day when he took to the stage and performed his new song, ‘Jubilee’.
The song captured the mood of the day and got leaders, majority from the Rift Valley, shaking a leg.
National Assembly Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso, Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, former Agriculture CS Felix Koskey and former MP Joshua Kuttuny rose to their feet and started dancing.
After President Kenyatta and DP Ruto arrived, Jaguar, Rufftone and Bahati performed and the two leaders joined them on the stage, eliciting loud applause from the crowd.
However, gospel singer Bahati stole the show when he went down on his knees and took the hand of the First Lady and led her on to the stage, as he sang his Mama song.
A reluctant Mrs Kenyatta joined Bahati at the podium. She broke into a jig much to the surprise of President Kenyatta who was laughing throughout the performance.
Mercy Masika excited the delegates too, with all the leaders at the VIP tent rising to their feet when she performed Mwema and Nikupendeze. Local comics Chipukeezy, Jamo Ule Msee and Dr Ofweneke did not disappoint either.
Eight-year-old Ryan Mwenda who has featured in almost all major Jubilee events, took to the podium and enumerated the Jubilee government’s achievements. This earned him a hug from President Kenyatta and the First Lady.
