President Uhuru's swearing in committee kicks off preparations ahead of August 29 fete

Interior Principal Administrative Secretary Joseph Irungu at Kasarani Stadium. [Mbugua Kibera, Standard]

?A committee preparing for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s inauguration has said it expects 100,000 people to attend the ceremony.

Preparations for the swearing-in ceremony, which was expected to take place on August 29, kicked off Wednesday at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.

But the date will have to be deferred pending the determination by the Supreme Court of a presidential election petition expected to be filed by NASA.

The sub-committee on security, logistics and transport held its first meeting yesterday to deliberate on key measures to be taken.

“We as a committee are going to be meeting daily to assess our preparedness ahead of President Kenyatta’s swearing-in ceremony,” said Interior Principal Administrative Secretary Joseph Irungu, who is the chair of the sub-committee. The committee yesterday toured Kasarani stadium and identified entry and exit points of the dignitaries who will be in attendance.

They also identified areas where those in attendance would park their vehicles, and laid plans  to ensure fortified security before, during and after the ceremony.

The stadium has a seating capacity of 60,000 people. Another 2,500 would be hosted at the gymnasium, while the spill-over of approximately 20,000 people would be outside the stadium.

Mr Irungu added there would be international dignitaries but declined to reveal their identities.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will comment on that but we are preparing for all. International dignitaries, our own dignitaries as well as wananchi. We have not limited ourselves to any category,” he said.

Those in the gymnasium will be able to watch the events as they unfold through television screens. The committee will also mount similar screens in key strategic points to ensure those outside the stadium follow the proceedings.

Other teams will handle entertainment and budgeting.

President Kenyatta was announced the winner of the presidential poll after he garnered 8,203,290 votes (54.27 pc) against Raila Odinga’s 6,762,224 votes (44.74 pc).

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