NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 12 – President Uhuru Kenyatta is on Thursday afternoon set to deliver this year’s State of the Nation Address to a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the Senate.
His address will come amid a surge in the COVID-19 pandemic that has seen cases reported in the country since March rise to 65,804.
There has also been jostling over constitution review under Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report proposals.
A few members of parliament and senators have been invited to attend the session due to the pandemic.
This is aimed at ensuring social distancing in the wake of surging cases of COVID-19 pandemic that has so far killed more than 1,000 people.
Security officials will be there to scrutinize those getting in and police have urged motorists to avoid roads near Parliament Buildings on Thursday afternoon.
In guidelines released in May and July, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi designated two members’ lounges and the dining hall as waiting areas that will accommodate other MPs interested in participating in the proceedings with regulations at the time permitting only sixty members inside the chamber at any given time.
In this year’s address, the Head of State will likely take stock of the Big Four agenda. The President may also root for the BBI constitution review vehicle, which he believes will deliver equity and national unity.
President Kenyatta will also report to Parliament the measures taken to achieve national values, progress in fulfilment of international obligations, and state of security.
The State of the Nation event is an annual constitutional requirement where the President is accorded the opportunity to address the nation, on all the measures taken and the progress achieved in the realization of the national values.
