News / Africa
Mugabe leaves for Uhuru Kenyatta's inauguration
08 Apr 2013 at 14:40hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe, left Harare this afternoon for Nairobi, Kenya, where he will join other African leaders for the inauguration of newly-elected Kenyan leader, Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday.
Mugabe is accompanied by the First Lady, Grace Mugabe.
President Mugabe's delegation includes Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and some senior government officials.
The president was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Vice President Joice Mujuru, several government ministers, service chiefs and the Kenyan Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ms Josephine Awuor.
The swearing-in ceremony for Uhuru Kenyatta, who becomes Kenya's fourth president since independence from Britain in 1963, takes place at Kasarani Sports Complex in Nairobi.
Uhuru Kenyatta is the son of Kenya's first president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
He won the March 4 presidential polls by 50.07 percent, eliminating the possibility of a run-off against his closest contender, Raila Odinga of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy, who scored 43.2 percent in the election which recorded 86 percent voter turn out.
Before ascending to the highest office of his country, Uhuru Kenyatta was Deputy Prime Minister of Kenya under the ruling National Alliance Party.
He started his political career when he ran for Parliament in 1997.
He was appointed new chairman of Kenya Tourism Board by former president Daniel Arap Moi in 1999.
In 2001, he was nominated to Parliament before becoming Minister of Local Government under the same leader.
The inauguration was delayed following a Supreme Court petition by Raila Odinga, who wanted to challenge the poll results, but the bench of six judges upheld the election of Uhuru Kenyatta on the 30th of last month.
Kenyatta's victory is said to have left some western powers with egg on their faces as they had preferred victory for Odinga against Kenyatta, who is being charged with crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court at the Hague.
Reports from Nairobi say Odinga and his running mate, who are said to have travelled to South Africa for "a rest", will not attend the ceremony although they are said to have accepted the Supreme Court ruling.
Mugabe is accompanied by the First Lady, Grace Mugabe.
President Mugabe's delegation includes Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and some senior government officials.
The president was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Vice President Joice Mujuru, several government ministers, service chiefs and the Kenyan Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ms Josephine Awuor.
The swearing-in ceremony for Uhuru Kenyatta, who becomes Kenya's fourth president since independence from Britain in 1963, takes place at Kasarani Sports Complex in Nairobi.
Uhuru Kenyatta is the son of Kenya's first president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
He won the March 4 presidential polls by 50.07 percent, eliminating the possibility of a run-off against his closest contender, Raila Odinga of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy, who scored 43.2 percent in the election which recorded 86 percent voter turn out.
He started his political career when he ran for Parliament in 1997.
He was appointed new chairman of Kenya Tourism Board by former president Daniel Arap Moi in 1999.
In 2001, he was nominated to Parliament before becoming Minister of Local Government under the same leader.
The inauguration was delayed following a Supreme Court petition by Raila Odinga, who wanted to challenge the poll results, but the bench of six judges upheld the election of Uhuru Kenyatta on the 30th of last month.
Kenyatta's victory is said to have left some western powers with egg on their faces as they had preferred victory for Odinga against Kenyatta, who is being charged with crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court at the Hague.
Reports from Nairobi say Odinga and his running mate, who are said to have travelled to South Africa for "a rest", will not attend the ceremony although they are said to have accepted the Supreme Court ruling.
Source - zbc
