East Africa

East Africa

Details: East Africa; 13 September 2022; 755

Hundreds of Kenyans attending the inauguration of Ruto forced their way into the stadium.

In Summary

•Videos from the event showed hordes of people streaming into the stadium screaming hysterically.

•Some sustained injuries, with Red Cross personnel seen evacuating the casualties from the scene. Police later said they had closed the gates.

At least eight people were injured in a stampede outside the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani Tuesday morning.

This was after hundreds of Kenyans attending the inauguration of President-elect William Ruto forced their way into the stadium.

More police had to be brought in to control the situation after the scene turned chaotic.

A few minutes past 6 AM, police said they were unable to control the crowd, which broke the stadium’s fences and trooped in without being frisked.

“There was a breach but we have controlled the situation,” said a police officer at the scene.

Videos from the event showed hordes of people streaming into the stadium screaming hysterically.

Some sustained injuries, with Red Cross personnel seen evacuating the casualties from the scene. Police later said they had closed the gates.

"In anticipation of being part of history, Kenyans have thronged into the venue in large numbers. By 5.00 am this morning, the venue had already filled to capacity, as more people continued to troop to the venue," police spokesperson Bruno Shioso said in a statement.

"To avoid logistical challenges, this is to request the public to make alternative arrangements to view the proceedings, especially from the comfort of their homes."

Huge screens were mounted outside the stadium for those who were locked out by 7.30 am.

Up to 10,000 police officers had been mobilized for operations for the event. Some were deployed on the streets and more around the venue of the event.

At least 17 presidents, eight Prime Ministers and Deputy Presidents and seven foreign ministers will attend the inauguration of Ruto. Others include nine special envoys, seven international organisations and one former president.

All presidents from the East African Community (EAC) are expected to grace the swearing-in ceremony at Kasarani Stadium.

They are Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), Felix Tshisekedi (DRC Congo), Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia) and Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan.

Others include Dennis Nguesso (Congo), Ismail Guelleh (Djibouti), Filipe Nyusi (Mozambique), Brahim Ghail (Sahrawi Republic), Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe), Azali Assousmani (Comoros) and Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi.

Abiy Ahmed (Ethiopia), Umaro Embalo (Guinea Bissau) and Waveli Ramkalawan (Seychelles) will also attend.

Top representatives of the United Nations (UN), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Commonwealth, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) are also expected to attend.

Cuban deputy Prime Minister Ines Maria Chapman Waugh, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue (Vice President of Equatorial Guinea), Mahamadu Bawumia (Vice President Ghana), David Mabuza (Vice President South Africa), Sorena Sattari (Vice President Iran), Yemi Osinbajo (Vice President Nigeria), Malik Agar (Sudan’s transitional council) and Maja Gojkovic (Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia) will attend.

The speaker of Algeria Ibrahim Boughali, Togo’s Yawa Tsegan, former German president Christian Wulff and UK’s minister for Commonwealth Vicky Ford as well as India’s minister for external affairs Vellamvelli Muraleedharan will also be present

President Joe Biden Saturday announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to attend the event.

The team will be led by the US trade representative Katherine Tai and will include the ambassador to Nairobi Meg Whitman, Colin Allred, United States Representative (D), Texas and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State Mary Catherine Phee.

Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development Dr Monde Muyangwa will also attend the event.

Japan will be represented by a special envoy of Prime Minister Makihara Hideki while South Korea will have Choung Byoung Gug who is the chairman of the central committee of the People Power Party and China will have Liu Yuxi, a special representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs.

The Assumption of Office of the President Committee said some 2,500 VIPs are also expected to grace the occasion.

The function’s guard of honor is expected to be mounted by the 21st battalion of the Kenya Rifles. By Cyrus Ombati, The Star

Details: East Africa; 13 September 2022; 705

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit has left Juba for Nairobi, Kenya this afternoon to attend the inauguration of Kenya's newly elected President William Ruto.

The swearing-in ceremony for Mr. Ruto as Kenya's fifth president is set to take place in Nairobi on Tuesday.

In a telephone interview with Radio Tamazuj on Monday afternoon, South Sudan's Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth confirmed that President Kiir will travel this afternoon.

"The President is going to Kenya through Ethiopia today to attend the inaugural ceremony of president-elect Ruto of Kenya and they will be back as soon as the function is over and the inauguration is tomorrow," minister Makuei said.

President Kiir will be among 20 heads of state from across Africa, led by President Uhuru Kenyatta to attend the ceremony at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

Both the United States of America and China have confirmed dispatching a ‘strong delegation’ for the ceremony that will officially usher in Dr. Ruto’s era as President Kenyatta steps down after serving his maximum two terms.

William Ruto, who has served as President Uhuru Kenyatta’s deputy for ten years, was declared the winner of the August 9, 2022 presidential election after garnering 7.18 million votes (50.49 percent) against his main opponent Raila Odinga’s 6.94 million (48.85 percent).

His main competitor for the country's top job Odinga unsuccessfully challenged Ruto’s win at Kenya’s topmost court, the Supreme Court.

Ruto, 55, will be Kenya’s fifth president after Jomo Kenyatta (1964-1978), Daniel Moi (1978-2002), Mwai Kibaki (2002-2013) and Uhuru Kenyatta (2013-2022). - Radio Tamazuj

Details: East Africa; 11 September 2022; 889

The national U-19 cricket women team are one step away from qualifying for the 2023 ICC U19 World cup as they prepare to face Tanzania in the final of Africa qualifier final after beating Uganda by 56 runs during the semifinal held on Saturday, September 10 in Gaborone, Botswana.

Uganda won the toss and decided to bowl as Rwanda started with batting.

Rwandans had so much to be worried about when Leonard Nhamburo’s young women managed 97 runs, the least they had managed during the Africa qualifier campaign so far.

There were concerns that the Ugandan team were going to chase Rwanda’s runs in a comfortable way but the team was all out wickets after 14 overs by the time they had only made 41 runs while they were still short of 56 runs.

Henriette Ishimwe put in a player-of-the-match performance as she contributed 36 runs and four wickets.

Rwanda will face Tanzania in Monday’s crunch final that will decide who among the pair will book a ticket to the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup that will take place in South Africa next year.

The Rwandan team will be looking to revenge against a Tanzanian side that beat them by just one run during the group stages of the qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Uganda will play Namibia in a third place match slated on Sunday, September 11. Namibia were eliminated in the semi-final after Tanzania beat them by six wickets. - Eddie Nsabimana, The New Times

Details: East Africa; 12 September 2022; 866

Supreme Court Bench during the Wednesday, August 31, hearing of the Presidential petition. FILE

The Judiciary on Monday, September 12, sent a warning to Kenyans directing them to desist from attacking the Supreme Court following the Presidential petition ruling.

In the statement signed by the Directorate of Public Affairs and Communication, the Judiciary noted that it had learnt that some of the attacks through social media were being funded by political operatives and other interested parties.

It further maintained that the seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Martha Koome carried out its mandate as per the Constitution.

"The Judiciary's attention has been drawn to a recent wave of sponsored sustained attack targeting the Supreme Court of Kenya.

A file image of the judiciary TWITTER

"The Supreme Court, was established under Article 163(1) of the Constitution 2010 and given original exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine disputes relating to the elections to the office of the President. The Court has therefore only done its work pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution," the statement read in part.

"The persons sponsoring and executing the attacks on social media to disparage the Court are advised to desist forthwith," the Judiciary continued.

According to the statement, some individuals had singled out individual judges accusing them of taking sides in the petition that was filed by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

To justify the ruling by the Supreme Court, the Judiciary maintained that a detailed ruling would be released in due course.

"It is further noted that the court is yet to render its reasoned judgment which will outline the basis on which the election of the President-elect was upheld. There is a legal provision of 21 days following the reading of the short version of the judgment to do so. Kenyans are therefore requested to exercise patience as they await the full judgment which will shed light and provide clarity on the grounds and rationale of the Court.

"Meanwhile, no Judge of the Supreme Court has written a resignation letter, as claimed in a section of media, because there is no reason to do so. The Court is working in harmony as a cohesive unit," added the statement.

The Judiciary maintained that the judgement given by the seven-judge bench was made unanimously.

"Further, there has been an unfortunate trend of isolating individual judges and attributing the judgment to them. The Court has seven judges who are independent and highly respectful of beach other as equals. A ‘UNANIMOUS' judgment is a collective decision made by the Court and not by an individual," the statement continued.

This comes just a day after Siaya Governor James Orengo hit out at the Chief Justice and terming the Supreme Court verdict that upheld President-elect William Ruto victory as a shame to the country.

He made his utterances arguing that the bench made a political judgment at a time when the country needed an objective verdict.

He further accused the apex court of a hidden vendetta in the ruling which unanimously disregarded all nine issues raised by the Azimio la Umoja's legal team

"Chief Justice Koome you have brought shame to the Judiciary by rendering a judgment that in the eyes of the ordinary people who fought for you to make sure a Chief Justice can have independence. You have brought shame to the people of the Republic of Kenya!” he claimed.

The Supreme Court validated the results announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati.

Senior Counsel James Orengo arrives the Supreme Court on Wednesday, August 31, 2022. THE JUDICIARY By Derrick Okubasu, kenyans.co.ke

Details: East Africa; 10 September 2022; 771

Charles III has been officially proclaimed King by the Accession Council.

The principal proclamation took place on the balcony at St James's Palace as trumpets blared, guns were fired from the Tower of London, and the centuries-old ceremony was televised for the first time.

It was followed by a rendition of God Save the King and "three cheers for the King".

Cabinet ministers to meet with new King - live updates

An hour later, a second proclamation was read aloud at the Royal Exchange in the City of London as thousands gathered to watch.

Privy Counsellors, including Prince William and the Queen Consort, Camilla, former prime ministers David Cameron, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, met in London to declare King Charles the new sovereign on Saturday morning.

The ceremony, which dates back to Saxon times, saw the King pay tribute to his "beloved" mother and to follow her "inspiring" example for "what remains to me of his life".

"I know how deeply you and the entire nation, and I think I may say the whole world, sympathise with me in this irreparable loss we have all suffered," he said.

Split into two parts, the first saw the Lord President of the Council, Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt MP, pronounce the death of the Queen in the picture gallery as past and present politicians and religious leaders listened.

"It is my sad duty to inform you that her most gracious Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away on Thursday 8 September 2022 at Balmoral Castle," she said.

The Clerk of the Council then read the Accession Proclamation, which declared King Charles the new monarch, Head of the Commonwealth, and Defender of the Faith (head of the Church of England).

Declaring Charles III King, he said: "We now hereby with one voice and consent of tongue and heart, publish and proclaim that the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, is now, by the death of our late Sovereign of happy memory, become our only lawful and rightful liege lord, Charles III, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, and of his other realms and territories, King, head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith, to whom we do acknowledge all faith and obedience with humble affection, beseeching God, by whom kings and queens do reign, to bless His Majesty with long and happy years to reign over us."

It was signed by the 'platform party' - first by Prince William, then Camilla, Queen Consort, followed by Penny Mordaunt, Prime Minister Liz Truss, Lord Chancellor Brandon Lewis MP, the Lord Privy Seal, Earl Marshal, and the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

Day of Queen's funeral a bank holiday

The Privy Counsellors then moved to the throne room where the King arrived for the second part, which was effectively the first meeting of the Privy Council under his reign, and saw him make a personal declaration, followed by a Scottish Oath.

This dates back to a time when Catholic Europe was seen as an existential threat to Britain and promises to protect the security of the Church of Scotland, because, unlike in England, church and state are separate there.

Lord President of the Council, Ms Mordaunt, announced that the Queen's funeral will be a bank holiday, the date of which will be confirmed later.

Queen's reign 'unequalled'

Standing before the throne, the King said it was his "sorrowest duty" to announce the death of his "beloved mother, the Queen".

Paying tribute to her, he added: "My mother's reign was unequalled in its duration, dedication and devotion.

"Even as we grieve we give thanks for this most faithful life."

Acknowledging his "great inheritance" and "heavy responsibilites" of being passed the monarchy, he said: "I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these Islands and of the Commonwealth Realms and Territories throughout the world."

The proclamation was then signed, before trumpeters from the Life Guards and drummers from the Coldstream Guards played and it was read aloud on the balcony above Friary Court - officially proclaiming Charles III King.

It will also be read out in Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast and other locations across the Commonwealth at midday on Sunday.

The Accession Council is different to the coronation, which may not be held for some time.

Queen Elizabeth was proclaimed sovereign on her return to London from abroad in February 1952, but was not crowned until June the following year. Sky News/Yahoo News