Thousands gather for Uhuru, Ruto inauguration

NAIROBI, Kenya - Hundreds of thousands of people have poured into Kasarani Sports Stadium to watch President Uhuru Kenyatta being sworn in for his second and final five-year term.

President Kenyatta, accompanied by his deputy William Ruto, will be expected at the 60,000-seater stadium after 10 a.m. and will both take the oath of allegiance, and the oath of due execution of the office, before signing them.

The oaths will be administered by Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi before Chief Justice David Maraga.

POWER

The President will then sign the oaths before the CJ also appends his signature and thereafter hand them to the Head of State, with the deputy going through the same process.

The ceremony will not have a handover of the instruments of power and the Constitution, which happens when a new president is taking over.

The President will then be honored with a 21-gun salute by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to welcome its commander-in-chief.

After taking the oath of office, President Kenyatta will give his inaugural second term speech, which by all indications will be geared towards an economic transformation plan and a concerted effort to heal a nation deeply divided by a protracted political dispute.

Security has been stepped up in and around the sports stadium for the event.

National Youth Service servicemen are at hand to search the jubilant supporters and direct them to the right gate.

The military, on the other hand, has lined up the road for the VIP gate entry, the 500-meter stretch is a fortress, with all those using the road, including journalists, made to hang their accreditation cards at all times.

The Thika Highway has been lined up by police with sharpshooters placed at strategic places on the road.

About 43 delegations will be represented at today's ceremony with 14 heads of state expected to attend, the government said.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was the first to arrive in the country last night, with the other expected leaders including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled to arrive today morning.