Nairobi, 9 April 2013
President Kagame today morning attended the swearing-in of Kenya’s fourth and youngest President, Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy, William Ruto at Kasarani Sports Complex in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.
The son of Kenya’s founding father, Jomo Kenyatta, President Kenyatta served as deputy Prime Minister, Minister for trade, and Finance Minister under outgoing President Mwai Kibaki. 51 year old Kenyatta won the March election with 50.07% of the vote.
In his inaugural address, President Kenyatta said he would govern for all Kenyans.
“We will leave no community behind… Where there’s disillusionment, we’ll restore hope, I assure you again that under my leadership, Kenya will strive to uphold our international obligations, so long as these are founded on the well-established principles of mutual respect and reciprocity.”
He promised that the new government would abolish maternity fees in its first 100 days and children starting school next year would receive laptops.
Among the other African leaders present for the inauguration were South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, Nigeria’s Goodluck Jonathan and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni. American civil rights activist Jesse Jackson was also in attendance.
Uganda’s President Museveni, who is the current IGAD President delivered the key note address where he highlighted that the ICC is an instrument of the west that is inherently biased against Africa.
“I want to salute the Kenyan voters on one other issue – the rejection of the blackmail by the International Criminal Court and those who seek to abuse this institution for their own agenda. They are now using it to install leaders of their choice in Africa and eliminate the ones they do not like.”
After the swearing-in, President Kenyatta then treated Heads of State and other dignitaries to a Luncheon at State House.
ENDS