Kiir to travel to Kenya for William Ruto’s Tuesday swearing-in ceremony

JUBA – President Salva Kiir Mayardit will on Tuesday morning travel to neighboring Kenya’s capital Nairobi to witness the swearing-in ceremony of President-Elect William Ruto, two senior presidency officials told Sudans Post on Saturday.

Ruto was declared the winner of the 9^th August 2022 Kenyan presidential elections, defeating his main rival, Raila Odinga, who then contested the election results in court which did not however change the outcome of the presidential election.

A Kenyan transitional committee has set Tuesday, September 13^th, the day Ruto will take over the country as the fifth Kenyan president and several African heads of state are expected to attend the function including Uganda’s Museveni, and Rwanda’s Kagame.

Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, the presidency official who requested not to be identified said President Salva Kiir Mayardit will travel on Morning evening or on Tuesday morning to attend the important function.

“The president will travel to Kenya to attend that swearing-in ceremony and this will either be on Monday evening or on Tuesday morning. This is because Kenya is one of our most trusted neighbors and we must be there on their big day,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Another presidency official confirmed the planned trip, and said the president will meet other heads of state on the sideline of the function to discuss support for the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement the government in Juba signed with a number of opposition groups.

“The president yes will travel to Kenya to witness the swearing in of William Ruto as the president of Kenya and during this function, he will speak to other heads of state of the region to discuss their roles as African leaders to the peace and stability of South Sudan,” the official said.

Kenya media has separately reported that Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud have confirmed their attendance of the important ceremony.

“We began sending the invites early in the week and by Thursday evening 10 presidents among several vice presidents had confirmed they will grace the ceremony,” said a member of the Kenyan transitional committee, according to The Star.