Dr William Samoei Ruto willl be be sworn in as Kenya’s fifth President next week following the confirmation of his election victory by all the seven judges of the country’s Supreme Court, the highest court of appeal in the land.
With Ruto’s main challenger Raila Amolo Odinga having nowhere else to run to to overturn the controversial election victory, preparations for the inauguration of Ruto have kicked off, with the Treasury releasing funds meant for the oath taking ceremony.
The money will be spent by the Assumption of Office Committee, which is mandated by law to oversee the transition from one president to another. The Assumption of Office Committee is a brain child of the Assumption of Office of the President Act, 2012. It comprises 20 members headed by the Secretary to Cabinet.
According to this same law, the president-elect must be sworn in seven days after the Supreme Court has upheld his or her election victory — in case there was an election petition challenging his or her election.
The president-elect is also supposed to take oath of office between 10am and 12pm on a date gazetted for the presidential inauguration.
The person who is entitled to administer the presidential oath of office is the Chief Justice of Kenya — in this case Martha Koome, the woman whose court upheld Ruto’s election victory and sent Raila Odinga’s camp into retirement.
The chief justice will be assisted by the registrar of the High Court in the administration of the oath.
The other person to take oath will be deputy president-elect Rigathi Gachagua. On the day of inauguration, outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta will hand over instruments of power, including the sword of power and a copy of the Kenyan Constitution, to his former deputy.
Thereafter, Uhuru will vacate State House to pave way for Ruto and his family.
THE COST OF WILLIAM RUTO SWEARING IN
Ahead of this transition of power from Uhuru to Ruto, the Kenyan Treasury has provided Assumption of Office Committee KSh200m (about Shs 6bn for the benefit of our readers from neighboring Uganda) to facilitate the swearing-in ceremony of the new president and deputy president.
According to a report on the pre-election economic update, “The allocation of KSh200 million under the Executive Office of the President is provided for in the National Treasury for Assumption of Office activities.”
On Monday, Kenya’s Supreme Court unanimously upheld the election of William Ruto as the fifth president of the Republic. (Read Story Here).
Raila Odinga has since reacted to the Supreme Court ruling that left him and his supporters in tears. (Read Odinga’s reaction Here).
Outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta has refused to congratulate William Ruto and questioned, albeit in a veiled manner, the Supreme Court ruling. (Read Story Here).
