Kenyans Bequeath Themselves New Laws, East African Presidents attend

President Kibaki takes oath of office moments after ascending to the new constitution of Kenyan at Uhuru Park making it the supreme law of the land.

By John Harry Ndeta, Ajabu Africa News, posted August 28, 2010

NAIROBI, Kenya. , AUGUST 28_ President Mwai Kibaki promulgated Kenyans New Constitution on Friday August 27th, 2010 at Uhuru Park, Nairobi making history as Kenya becomes one of the few nations in the world that have successfully replaced their Constitution in an atmosphere of peace.

President Kibaki who presided over the ceremony in his capacity as the incumbent arrived at Uhuru Park at 9.15 a.m. where he inspected the guard of honor specially mounted for the day.

This was followed by the Attorney General Amos Wako presenting the head of State with 6 constitutions which President Kibaki ascended to effectively elevating the new laws adopted when Kenyans overwhelming voted YES at the August 4th referendum as the supreme laws of the land.

Then President Mwai Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka took oath of Office led by the Chief Justice Evan Gicheru who administered the oaths.

“Through a referendum, on August 4th 2010, we the people of Kenya, on the basis of our own free will, overwhelmingly voted to renew our nation and usher in the Second Republic,” said the President Kibaki. “And today Friday August 27h 2010, as President of this great republic I have appended my signature on Kenya’s New Constitution, as an affirmation of the endorsement of the basic law of the land,” affirmed Kenyans President in his speech.

The President thanked all those who contributed intellectually and physically to ensure that the dream of realizing a New Constitution became a reality.  The President paid a tribute to all those patriotic Kenyans who suffered injuries or lost their lives, freedom and property in the struggle for a New Constitutional order.  For many Kenyan in Kenya and abroad, this New Constitution is an embodiment of their best hopes, aspirations, ideals and values for a peaceful and more prosperous nation.

”The New Constitution gives our nation a historic opportunity to decisively conquer the challenges that face us today. It provides Kenyans with an avenue to renew their fight against unemployment and poverty; an opportunity to work and become a developed people and nation,” said Kibaki.

From this day on, the people of Kenya should embrace a new national spirit; a spirit of national inclusiveness, tolerance, harmony and unity. Kibaki appealed to Kenyans, individually and collectively, to build a nation that will be socially and economically inclusive and cohesive where all have equal access and opportunities to realize their full potential.

Speaker after speaker thanked members of the International Community and friends of Kenya for their support and encouragement during the struggle for a New Constitution.

On his part, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said that Friday August 27th 2010 marks the end of one journey, as Kenya embark on the beginning of another.

Raila said August 4th 2010 will go down in history as the date on which the Kenyan people, formed a more united nation, and established the groundwork for justice, unity and the full blessings of liberty for themselves and for posterity.

“No one could have thought that out of the bitter harvest of the disputed election and the violence that pitted our people against each other just two years ago, we would be witnessing today the birth of a national unity that has eluded us for more than 40 years, said Raila adding the today, Kenyans have closed a long chapter in the history of the nation, effectively putting repression,” exclusion and heroic struggle behind once and for all.

The Premier metaphorically said Kenya has opened a clean, new page in the books of history and on that page; he appealed to Kenyans to begin writing the story of an equal and just society.

In bequeathing ourselves this Supreme Law, Raila said , the country paid homage to those came before us in this land, who saw its beauty, and who fought for fulfillment for all its citizens.

Amidst chants and ululations the Prime Minister  chanted names of slain heroes including  Pio Gama Pinto, Josiah Mwangi(JM) Kariuki, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Alexander Kipsang Arap Muge, Masinde Muliro, George Anyona, Katama Mkangi, Jean Marie Seroney, Henry Okullu, among many others who struggled for this day to come but did not live to see it.

Prime Minister, Raila Odinga

“We honor Kenneth Matiba, Charles Rubia, Martin Shikuku, Wangari Maaithai, Chelagat Mutai, and the Young Turks of the Second Liberation who pushed us closer to this day,” concluded Raila.

“To all the people of Kenya and the international community who have stood besides us in our struggles, I say, thank you for making it possible for Kenyans to relies their destiny,” said Raila.

Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka thanked the International Community for the steadfast support extended to Kenyans during the defining moment.

Kalonzo lauded the Saudi Arabian delegation to the Uhuru Park new constitution promulgation ceremony for breaking the Ramadhan fast to join Kenyans during the auspicious occasion.
Later in Parliament, President Kibaki as the MP for Othaya led other legislators in taking oath of allegiance to and execution of the new constitution.

Later in the afternoon, President Mwai Kibaki hosted a State Luncheon for Heads of State and Governments as well as other dignitaries who attended the colorful ceremony to promulgate the new constitution.

Vice President, Kalonzo Musyoka

The spectacular luncheon was attended by Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, Ahmed Abdalla Sambi of the United Republic of Comoros, Zanzibar’s President Amani Abeid Karume, several retired Heads of State and former UN Secretary General Koffi Annan among other dignitaries.

In a brief address while proposing a toast of goodwill to Kenya and continued prosperity in brotherly relations among regional countries, President Museveni challenged residents of the East African region to initiate programmes that would propel their countries to first world status.

The Ugandan President paid glowing tribute to Kenyans for realizing the new constitutional order through consensus to entrench wide-ranging political reforms in various sectors of governance.
Museveni urged other countries in the region to emulate Kenya so as to lay a firm foundation on which future generations can build on to uplift East Africans’ standards of living.

It was a busy day for President Kibaki who soon after witnessed the swearing in of Ministers, Assistant Ministers, Service Commanders, permanent secretaries, judges and other constitutional office holders in allegiance to and execution of the new constitution before heading to parliament to take oath amongst other parliamentarians.

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