Security heightened in parliament ahead of President’s address

By Kaltun Jama/Kennedy Epalat

Security is tight around parliament buildings and its environs ahead of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s State of the Nation address Wednesday afternoon. 

Movement along several roads leading to the National Assembly has also been restricted with security officers keeping vigil.

Among the roads with limited access were Parliament Road, City Hall Way and Harambee Avenue.

The President will address the joint sitting of parliament from 2.30pm where he is expected to highlight the development that his administration has so far achieved for the last four years and state his commitment towards an August 8 peaceful elections.

He is however expected to outline challenges his government is facing in the achievement of its agenda for the nation.

This comes as the Jubilee government faces a myriad of challenges including corruption in both the national and county governments, insecurity in the north rift region, youth radicalization and unemployment.

The opposition parliamentarians have this time said they will follow the state of the nation address and give their own address early next week.

This is a departure from last year when the opposition MPs disrupted President Kenyatta’s state of the nation address by blowing whistles and causing chaos in the House, leading to forceful ejection by Speaker Justin Muturi of some ODM MPs led by Mbita MP, Millie Odhiambo and her Unguja counterpart, Opiyo Wandayi.

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.