Leaders invited for arena address

MPs and senators have been invited to attend a meeting to be addressed by US President Barack Obama at the Safaricom Indoor Arena of the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Sunday.

MPs Benjamin Langat (Ainamoi), Junet Mohamed (Suna East) and Johnson Sakaja (nominated), speaking separately, said they had expected the American leader to address a joint sitting of the Senate and the National Assembly.

However, they said, on phone, they had learnt that letters had been sent to the politicians by the US embassy inviting them to the rally through which President Obama would speak to Kenyans.

“I have not received mine although I have been made to understand that the letters have been sent to each of us individually. Even if I receive it, I will turn down the invitation because I believe he should have come to Parliament to address us,” said Mr Langat, adding that the US Embassy should have invited the leaders through their respective speakers or clerks.

There were expectations that President Obama, whose father was Kenyan, would use his visit, during which he will attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) at the UN Environment Programme (Unep), to address a joint sitting of Parliament.

In the lead-up to the visit, a team of US security officers has visited Parliament several times, raising speculation that President Obama would address the MPs and senators.

Yesterday, Mr Mohamed said: “We had expected President Obama to address Parliament, but we have heard that things may have changed.”

The ODM lawmaker, however, revealed that not all MPs and senators are invited.

“We have been made to understand that there are some of us who will not be invited.”

Mr Sakaja said a team of young MPs had planned to seek an opportunity to meet President Obama.

“We had organised as young parliamentarians to meet the US President and we are still hopeful that we will meet him,” he said.