Gaffes bring laughter to festivity

The weather was gloomy and the occasion was not spared the gaffes that have always characterised such big events in the country.

The 52nd Madaraka Day celebrations programme was to start at 10.50am when President Uhuru Kenyatta would enter Nyayo National Stadium. However, the President arrived about an hour later, forcing the programme to be cut short.

The event’s main singing band, the Maroon Commandos — a military band belonging to 7th Kenya Rifles of the Kenya Army— was called upon on several occasions to play more songs to keep guests busy as they waited for the President, who arrived in the accompany of his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni.

Upon arrival at the presidential dais, after inspecting the guard of honour, President Kenyatta, escorted by Chief of Defence Forces Samson Mwathethe, marched straight to the high table. He greeted everyone on the front row except his wife, Margaret. And the crowd noticed and appeared to ask him to shake her hand, which he did, to the amusement of the visitors, before he sat down.

It was Gen Mwathethe’s first parade with the Head of State after taking over from his predecessor, Julius Karangi.

At 12.50pm, Deputy President William Ruto took over the programme and told the crowd “good morning”, to the amazement of some visitors who noted that it was already afternoon.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero was not spared the missteps either when he said the Constitution was promulgated “two years ago”. The supreme law was passed in August, 2010, that is about five years ago.

And this time round, Kiswahili failed President Museveni, who claims prowess in the language. He seemed to struggle and on several occasions kept on asking those on the dais the names of simple things such as the toe and jiggers.

And the high table did not disappoint the Ugandan leader — the answers were provided and he managed to give his speech in Kiswahili as he had done in the past. President Museveni said Al-Shabaab were like jiggers who required a needle to pluck them out without amputating the leg. He, however, did not mention the ICC, which was a key subject at past events.

At the entrance to the stadium, security officers thoroughly frisked anyone, checking everything in the pockets and bags.

A security plane hovered around the stadium and made several fly-pasts over it as the President read his speech.

South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa made an apology for the recent xenophobic attacks in his country, which was received by fair claps.

About a third of the stadium was filled by pupils from schools in Nairobi and a huge crowd of youths from Nairobi slums that wore National Youth Service branded T-shirts.

The youth and pupils had been mobilised by the ministries of Education and Devolution.

Various groups entertained the visitors after the stadium march by security officers although others were locked out as the rain threatened to pour.

Unlike past celebrations, there was no hawking of edibles inside the stadium after the county commissioner banned it following the cholera outbreak.