Lungu attends Uhuru inauguration

PRESIDENT Lungu was yesterday among 23 Heads of State that attended Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta’s inauguration ceremony at Safaricom Kasarani sports complex in the capital Nairobi.

Other world leaders present included Gabon President Ali Bongo, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Botswana’s Ian Khama, and Hage Geingob of Namibia.

Others were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Somali President Abdullahi “Farmajo” Mohamed, Djibouti’s Ismail Omar Guelleh and Togo' Togo Prime Minister Mamadi Youla.

The rest were Nigeria Vice President Yemi Osinbalo, Tanzania Vice President Sumia Suhulu, former South Africa President Thabo Mbeki, and his Ghanaian counterpart John Dramani Mahama.

The Kenya Ministry of For- eign Affairs confirmed on Monday that at least 43 countries would be present.

And in his inaugural speech, Mr. Kenyatta vowed to overcome Kenya's divisions after being sworn in for a second term as president, at a ceremony boycotted by the opposition.

According to the BBC, Mr. Kenyatta said he would try to incorporate some of the opposition's ideas "in the spirit of inclusivity". But elsewhere in the city, police clashed with opposition supporters.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who boycotted an election re-run last month, mocked yesterday’s "coronation".

Mr. Kenyatta was officially re-elected with 98 percent of the vote on October 26, but just under 39 percent of voters turned out. The original election on August 8 was held again after being annulled by the Supreme Court on grounds of irregularities.

Embarking on his second and last term in office, Mr. Kenyatta promised to act as "the custodian of the dreams of all" Kenyans.

Without specifying whether he would reach out to Mr. Odinga, he said: "We may have chosen different candidates and different visions, but each one of us voted for a better life.

"To my competitors, and in the spirit of inclusivity, I will endeavour to incorporate some of their ideas. The election was not a contest between a good dream and a bad dream. It was a contest between two competing visions.

"I will devote my time and energy to build bridges, to unite and bring prosperity to all Kenyans."