Uhuru, Ruto to attend Museveni swearing-in

By BIKETI KIKECHIDeputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto are in the Kenyan delegation, led by President Kibaki, attending the swearing-in ceremony of President Yoweri Museveni.
Mr Ruto confirmed yesterday that he arrived in Kampala before President Kibaki, but was supposed to join the delegation later in the evening.
The Head of State left last evening using the Presidential jet with a group of MPs among them Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa, who is a close Ruto ally.
Also in the group that left Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, shortly after 4pm, was Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi.
Eugene, who is in the same political camp with Ruto and Uhuru, told The Standard that he received a formal invitation from Museveni.
"I’m in Kampala with the Kenyan delegation but I also received a special invitation from President Museveni to attend the ceremony," he said.
Eugene and Ruto actively participated in Museveni’s presidential campaign in January and February.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka were also other notable figures in Museveni’s campaign. It was not possible to establish if they were among those invited for the function.
Ironically, opposition leader Kizza Besigye was stranded at JKIA after he was blocked from boarding a Kenya Airways flight in the morning.
Dr Besigye was in Nairobi for treatment after police officers injured him during a peaceful protest march in Kampala.
He was arrested for the fourth time by Ugandan security forces.
Besigye, has been staging twice-weekly protests in which he walks to work to denounce rising fuel prices.
Earlier last month, he was shot in the right hand by what he said was a rubber bullet fired by police.
A statement released by the Presidential Press Service said President Kibaki will today attend the swearing-in and inauguration ceremony at Kololo Ceremonial Ground in Kampala.
During the trip Kibaki is expected to attend a tripartite meeting of the leaders of Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Later at his hotel of residence the Head of State will also meet with the Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Meles Zenawi.