Kenya invites US leader Obama for president's swearing in

 

 By EDITH FORTUNATE  ( email the author)

Posted  Friday, March 1  2013 at  08:47

United States President Barack Obama is among world leaders invited for the swearing in ceremony of Kenya’s fourth president.Head of Public Service Francis Kimemia said Friday the government has invited the British Prime Minister David Cameron, and European Union Head of States.Also invited are presidents of regional body, the East African Community (EAC). They include Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, Tanzania’s Jakaya Kikwete, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and Burundi’s Pierre Nkurunziza.“You can be sure that we will invite the American President. If he cannot come then he can delegate. If you go to the European Union we have the various countries," said Mr Kimemia during a media briefing on the assumption of office for a new president at the Hotel InterContinental, Nairobi.

"If you go to the continent of Africa, we have key representatives since we cannot invite everybody to come and witness this historic occasion,” he stated.Mr Kimemia urged Kenyans to maintain peace before, during and after the elections."We urge Kenyans to maintain peace. We have put in place everything necessary to ensure this process is successful. We have mobilised all our internal security organs to ensure that Kenyans are fully secure round the clock,” he said.The new president is expected to take the oath of office on March 26, three weeks after Kenyans go to the polls.However, this will only happen if there is a clear winner in the March 4 General Election.A candidate is required to garner 50 per cent plus one of the total votes cast in the elections and at least 25 per cent in half of the 47 Counties countrywide to be declared as duly elected president.At the briefing, Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo said 290 CID officers will be deployed to the 47 Counties to monitor hate and violence and gather evidence leading to the successful prosecution of electoral violence cases.If there is no clear winner on March 4, a run off pitting the two top candidates will be held within 30 days after the first vote.