William Ruto's swearing-in will go on without Uhuru, Rigathi Gachagua asserts

Deputy President-elect Rigathi Gachagua has asserted that the incoming president will be sworn in even without the presence of outgoing President, Uhuru Kenyatta.

Speaking in an interview on Kass TV Gachagua insisted that Uhuru's absence will not be a big deal during the transition and handover process citing that the outgoing president has no mandate to hand over power.

Justifying himself the outgoing Mathira member of parliament mentioned the incident where the inauguration of US president Joe Biden went on without the presence of the then outgoing president Donald Trump.

Ruto and Gachagua with their certificate Ruto and Gachagua with their certificate Pulse Live Kenya

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"There is nowhere in the constitution that the president has a mandate to hand over power, what is only required during the swearing-in ceremony is the presence of the Chief Justice, it is not even that sword, that is just ceremonial," said the outgoing Mathira MP.

President Kenyatta has previously been caught on record saying he was not going to hand over power to people he deemed unfit to hold office.

William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua with their spouses at Bomas of Kenya Pulse Live Kenya

Gachagua further, revealed that the outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta has not uttered a word over the win of his deputy that was declared president-elect by IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati on Monday.

"Continued silence by the head of the state, even if he does not want to congratulate Ruto he should do the honorable and send a message of peace to Kenyans," he said.

Deputy President William Ruto was declared the winner of the presidential election after garnering 7,176,141 votes (50.49%) against Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga who scored 6, 942,930 (48.85%)votes.

Presidential transition team issues updates on the handover of power

The Assumption of the Office of President Committee headed by Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Joseph Kinyua announced that the swearing-in date of the next president would be a public holiday.

He said that the work of the committee would start after IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati officially announced the winner of the presidential election.

The Assumption of the Office of President Committee headed by Head of Public Service and secretary to the Cabinet Joseph Kinyua met on August 12, 2022 Pulse Live Kenya

The committee comprises the secretary to the Cabinet, and principal secretaries from Treasury, Interior, Foreign Affairs, ICT, and Devolution, Chief of Defence, Police Inspector General, NIS director general among others.

Other than facilitating the handing over process by the outgoing president to the president-elect, the committee will organize for the security of the incoming head of state.

The committee has also urged Kenyans to go back to normal activities as the elections had ended.