Former presidents stranded for 30 minutes

By Biketi Kikechi

The sight of former president’s Daniel arap Moi, John Kufour, Ghana, Olesegun Obasanjo, Nigeria, anxiously waiting for their cars for close to 30 minutes, exemplified the chaotic ending of the promulgation.

An anxious Obasanjo looked disturbed as the large crowd that was leaving the dais milled around him, as local guests of lesser status, among them MPs and businessmen, jumped into their cars on the Uhuru Park drive way.

The three former Presidents who were personally invited by President Kibaki were among the VIPs who sat on the second row behind and the First Lady on the main dais.

Other guests at the colourful function, included presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Omar al Bashir of Sudan, Abdalla Mohammed Sambi of Comoros, former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa, and Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The master of ceremonies Sammy Lui used the public address system to inform Moi’s driver to avail himself as fast as possible as the former president waited.

The youth sang derogatory songs at some guests when they arrived forcing Mr Lui to urge them to respect the event.

Police blamed the chaotic ending on traffic jam on Haile Sellasie Avenue where most of the vehicles had been packed and lack of adequate parking space at the venue.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his wife Ida walked towards the entrance from the Serena Hotel side to get into their car before heading to State House for lunch.

Some visitors took over one hour to leave Uhuru Park as the crowd jammed exits to the city centre and towards Kibera where a large number came from.

The confusion rekindled memories of the December 30, 2002, swearing-in ceremony when President Kibaki was taking over from Moi at the same venue.

A senior civil servant who was among those who was part of the planning committee in 2002 told The Standard On Sunday that many civil servants were reluctant to be involved in the celebrations.

In 2002, there was little to show that it was a State function, with no semblance of protocol and order before, during and after the swearing in.

The incoming team took charge with Narc master of ceremonies Kepher Odongo who was a junior official in Prof Anyang Nyong’o’s Social Democratic Party, taking charge as the crowd pelted members of the Press with stones, forcing them to leave the raised dais.

The rowdy youth momentarily stopped assaulting journalists after Raila Odinga pleaded that the Press be allowed to take pictures for other Kenyans follow the live coverage on TV.

Odongo asked soldiers to take charge of security at the dais because police had allegedly abandoned them, when some members of the rowdy crowd occupied seats reserved for guests.

In the 2002 function, Odongo and a few aides of Lang’ata MP, Raila Odinga, took charge of the ceremony, relegating officers from the Department of Social Services to the sidelines.

Then, poor planning was blamed for the chaos. The Attorney General Amos Wako had announced that a committee chaired by himself, Sally Kosgei, and Chief Justice Bernard Chunga should have taken charge.

Instead, Kibaki’s campaign co-ordinator Matere Keriri, Director of Election Alex Mureithi, elections board secretary Peter Kubebea and personal Assistant Alfred Gitonga took charge.

The then out going government was represented by Zakayo Cheruiyot, Police Commissioner Philemon Abongo, PC Maina and the then Provincial Police Officer Stephen Kamenchu.

A source said the committee had no time to meet, to draw a list of who was to sit on the dais and to print invitation cards.

Among the guests who attended were the South Africa First Lady at the time Zanele Dlamini Mbeki and the Prime Minister for Rwanda Bernard Makuza among others.

The colonial government hosted many guests at Uhuru Park during the spectacular Independence Day celebrations at Uhuru Park on December 12, 1963.

Everything was timed to perfection, Jomo Kenyatta’s motorcade arrived at 10.00am, drove into the arena and moved in a clockwise direction around the park and left in the same order.

All guests at the dais were to observe a specific dress code, with women wearing skirts, jackets, hats and gloves and men appearing in dark suits.