NAIROBI, Kenya May 29 – The government is yet to decide the venue for this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations which will be held in Kisumu County on Tuesday June 1.
State House Spokeswoman Kanze Dena on Saturday said talks are underway to decide if the celebrations will be staged at the Jomo Kenyatta Sports Complex or at the Kisumu State Lodge in what she attributed to the current COVID-19 situation in the country.
“Talks are ongoing to decide where the celebrations will be staged and this is due to the COVID-19 situation in the country,” she said in Kisumu.
Jomo Kenyatta Sports Complex had initially been marked as the venue for the fete with the government stating that only 3, 000 people would be allowed to attend.
Kanze assured that the exact venue for the celebrations will be made public before close of business Saturday.
Kanze has in the meantime, asked the residents of the lakeside region to continue adhering to the COVID-19 protocols cautioning that the threat of the virus is still imminent.
“Let us continue observing the protocols. The President is excited to be coming and it is his prayer too that the COVID-19 measures should continue to be followed,” she said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is on Sunday expected in Kisumu where he will officially launch national government projects, inspect ongoing initiatives and launch new projects.
The President will be joined on the tour by several national and regional leaders among them former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o among others.
It remains unclear if Deputy President William Ruto will attend the Madarka Day celebrations after skipping several state events lately, even though he attended the national prayers on Thursday.
Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye will be the guest of honour during the celebrations marked on June 1 to commemorate the day in 1963 when Kenya attained internal self-rule after being a British colony since 1920.
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