WINDHOEK, Namibia, Mar 21 – President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta are in Windhoek, Namibia, to attend the inauguration of president-elect Dr Hage Geingob as the country’s third president.
The plane carrying the President and the First Lady touched down at Hosea Kutako International Airport, Windhoek, at 8.30pm Friday.
President Kenyatta was received at the airport by a government delegation led by the minister of economic affairs Hon Tom Alweendo.
The inauguration of Dr Geingob coincides with the 25th anniversary of Namibia’s independence; the two events will be celebrated together at Windhoek’s Independence Stadium.
At least 12 heads of state will attend the ceremony where Dr Geingob, who was the Prime Minister, will take over from President Hifikepunye Pohamba.
The incoming president won in a landslide victory in November last year, receiving an emphatic 86.7 percent of the vote. His party, SWAPO, trounced 15 other parties in the race for a parliamentary majority.
Kenya and Namibia have a special relationship as Kenyan forces played a major role in UN peacekeeping operations in the country.
Even after the end of peacekeeping operations, the new government of Namibia asked Kenyan peacekeepers to stay on, so that they could train the Namibian military.
While in Namibia, President Kenyatta will open Kenya House, which will house the Kenyan embassy.
After the swearing in ceremony, President Kenyatta and other visiting heads will be hosted to a state luncheon by the new president.
Cabinet Secretaries Amina Mohamed (Foreign Affairs) and Engineer Michael Kamau accompanied the President.