President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing the nation at Harambee House on August 14, 2017. [Photo/PSCU]
President Uhuru Kenyatta held meetings on Monday in his first public appearance after the electoral agency IEBC declared him winner of August 8 elections.
The President met security chiefs at his Harambee House office in Nairobi to assess the security situation in the country.
Afterwards he thanked the police for a sterling job keeping law and order throughout the electioneering period, but urged them to exercise the greatest of restraint when dealing with any protestors.
President Kenyatta also met members of the Assumption of Office Committee — chaired by Head of Public Service Dr Joseph Kinyua — which is tasked with managing the handover of power after elections in Kenya.
The Committee informed the President that the swearing-in ceremony for his second five-year term would be held on August 29, barring an election petition in the Supreme Court.
If such a petition was filed, then an alternative date of September 12 was also in play.
At a media briefing afterwards, the President thanked millions of Kenyans who have returned to work, saying their engagements were key to moving the levers of the nation’s economy.
President Kenyatta called on those not satisfied with the election outcome to tackle their grievances by following the laid down legal mechanisms as outlined in the Kenyan constitution.
Accompanied by Acting Interior CS Fred Matiang’i and House Majority Leader in the 11thparliament Adan Duale, President Kenyatta said Kenyans don’t need to fight over an election outcome, and said police stood ready to facilitate peaceful demonstrations for those aggrieved by the outcome.
“We don’t need to fight one another, destroy property and lose lives because of an election. We continue to appeal to those who are not satisfied to use the legal mechanism which has been created by our wonderful constitution,” the President said.
He reiterated that all Kenyans have a constitutional right to express themselves in a peaceful manner, but the government would not allow the disruption of other people’s lives and property in that process.
The President also commended Team Kenya which participated in the World Athletics Championships in London for a stunning finale at the event in which they came second to the United States.
He spoke of the dazzling final night performance by Hellen Obiri over the 5,000 metres women and Elijah Manangoi’s glittering show in the men’s 1,500 metres, and the rest of Kenya’s performers, as having brought joy to millions of Kenyans. The team won five gold, two silver and four bronze medals.