Flurry of night notices, hurried police drills and podium set-up

Thursday night was like no other. The government worked with ruthless efficiency that ultimately achieved military precision. In a spate of less than 30 minutes, four Kenya Gazette notices had been published.

And by the time the first one announced the assumption of Office of the Deputy President, the notices were being read by frenzied Kenyans, the last gifting the country a holiday rolled off at the government printer.

And thus started a flurry of activities among security agents and protocol departments in the presidency that ultimately culminated with the swearing-in of Kenya’s third Deputy President, Prof Kithure Kindiki, at the Kenya International Convention Centre. 

It all started immediately after the three High Court judges lifted orders barring Kindiki’s swearing-in and then gazette notices started streaming which in effect triggered late-night meetings.

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The first gazette notice was issued by Felix Koskei, the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service constituting the 23-member assumption of office chaired by the Secretary to the Cabinet, Mercy Wanjau.

Other members who were listed in the Kenya Gazette notice included Gen Charles Kahariri (Chief of Kenya Defence Forces), Noordin Haji (Director-General of National Intelligence Service), Dorcas Odour (Attorney-General), Douglas Kanja (Inspector General of the National Police Service) among others.

Following the notice, Wanjau and members of the assumption office team held nocturnal meetings to plan and deliberate on the swearing-in ceremony and later sent photos to media houses and posted on their social media pages to prove that they had indeed held the sittings.

Later Wanjau issued a gazette notice informing the members of the public that they had set yesterday as the day for the swearing-in ceremony. The notice read “it is notified for the general information of the public that the swearing-in of the Deputy President designate shall take place on Friday at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi City from 10 am.”

 As this was happening, President William Ruto was issuing yet another notice appointing Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi as Interior Cabinet Secretary.

 “Pursuant to Article 152 (5) (a) of the Constitution, Hon Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is assigned as the acting Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Interior and National Administration,” the notice read.

Immediately after being assigned as the Interior CS, Mudavadi’s first task was gazetting yesterday as a public holiday.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Public Holidays Act and Section 3 (b) and 12 (3) of the Assumption of Office of President Act, declares Friday the 1st of November, 2024 to be a public holiday, being the date of swearing-in of the Deputy President-designate,” read the gazette notice signed by Mudavadi.

 And as the government printer was publishing gazette notices, Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba was issuing a directive to the effect that despite the swearing-in ceremony, the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) would continue.

“Consequently, all members of the multi-agency examination administration team are instructed to report to work as scheduled to ensure that all examination activities of the day are well executed in line with Ministry of Education guidelines. This directive shall also apply to all other basic education institutions that are in session,’’ the directive read in part.

At the same time, civil servants and heads of parastatals and their members of staff were also summoned to the event perhaps to get numbers and avoid the perception that the event was poorly attended.

Police officers from different stations were hurriedly convened to conduct drills at night to ensure smooth activities yesterday. This happened as seats and tents were being mounted.

Entertainers who included dancers and artists were also invited late at night to ensure the smooth running of the programme that ended some minutes before noon.

Finally, the event came into being with the majority of the participants being government employees, government-allied MPs, senators and members of the Judiciary.

Azimio leader Raila Odinga who recently forged a working alliance with President Ruto was conspicuously missing and did not post congratulatory messages in his social media page.

However, acting ODM party leader Anyang Nyong and the party’s chairperson Gladys Wanga took to social media to congratulate Kindiki announcing that they were looking to partner with him

“This is a pivotal moment for our nation where unity, progress and addressing the needs of every Kenyan are crucial,” wrote Wanga.

Azimio co-principals who include Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) Martha Karua (Narc Kenya) Jeremiah Kioni (Jubilee) Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K) gave the event a wide berth.