Kibaki cancels State House parties

By PPS

President Kibaki and First Lady Lucy Kibaki have cancelled all parties for this festive season and directed that the money be donated to IDPs.

A press statement from the Presidential Press Service yesterday said: "Their Excellencies the President and the First Lady would like to announce that there will be no parties this festive season at any of the State Houses."

They instructed that the funds State House allocates for the parties be directed at providing ready-made hot meals for IDPs still in camps on both Christmas Day and New Year.

They have also instructed that adequate foodstuff be made available to the IDPs until a permanent solution is found to address the issue.

In a tradition stretching back many years, the Head of State normally spends the two holidays at the Coast.

The President usually hosts prominent leaders and businessmen to a party to celebrate the two occasions. Some IDPs will have their third Christmas in camps, despite the Government’s promise to resettle them by the end of the year.