What Happens During Uhuru's Farewell Military Parade
The ceremony is divided into two parts; the parade and the pulling out of the outgoing Commander-In-Chief at the Department of Defense (DoD) headquarters in Hurlingham, Nairobi.
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Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) is currently staging a farewell parade to honour President Uhuru Kenyatta as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, ahead of his retirement from office.
KDF spokesperson Esther Wanjiku notified the masses on Thursday, September 8 that the farewell ceremony will be hosted at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Lang’ata, Nairobi County.
The ceremony is divided into two parts; the parade and the pulling out of the outgoing Commander-In-Chief at the Department of Defense (DoD) headquarters in Hurlingham, Nairobi.
“This is in line with the military tradition and custom to hold a farewell ceremony for the Commander-In-Chief of Defence Forces,” she said.
During the choreographed occasion, Uhuru will be transported to Ulinzi Sports Complex by military helicopters with all troops drawn from Kenya Navy, Kenya Air Force, the army and paramilitary General Service Unit. He will receive symbolic gifts from the military, including a neatly packed military uniform.
Upon landing at the complex, Uhuru will be ushered into the ceremonial military Land Rover and is expected to be in the company of Defence Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eugene Wamalwa and the Chief of the Defece Forces Dr Robert Kibochi.
Uhuru will then address the country and will cover the achievements in his speech. He will also praise the military for its outstanding performance in protecting the country's territories from external harm during his 10 years in power.
The outgoing Head of State will then inspect the guard of honour to complete the farewell ceremony. Uhuru will have his last chance to inspect another guard of honour on Tuesday, September 13, during the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect William Ruto.
The farewell parade is not a new one in Kenya. In March 2013, the late President Mwai Kibaki held a three hours farewell parade and settled for Moi Air Base in Eastleigh, Nairobi, as the venue for the ceremony.
During the ceremony, he was handed amongst others a tractor, a military uniform, four Friesian cows, a complete Kenya Army red tunic packed in a glass chamber, and a portrait of him after inspecting a past guard of honour.
Prior to his retirement in December 2002, the late President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi held a similar event at the Lang'ata Barracks.
The Ulinzi Sports Complex was launched earlier this year in line with KDF’s mantra of “Sharpening the arrowhead”, which translates into having a mission-ready force. It serves the three KDF arms, and civilians.
President Kenyatta has always developed a liking for the military uniform during public events, especially the army's ceremonial uniform, the red tunic. On the occasions that he wore combat fatigue, he went for the Navy and Air Force uniforms.
He may further go down in history as the only head of state to attend his military farewell in military fatigue if he shows up in any of the three uniforms.
After the event, all eyes will be on the swearing-in ceremony where Uhuru had already stated that he will hand over power to Ruto but maintained that he was not supporting him but rather Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga.
"I will hand over power smiling because it's my Constitutional duty but my leader is Baba, Raila Odinga. Politics is not a matter to keep in your pockets," he stated.
President Uhuru Kenyatta during a pass-out parade at the KDF's Recruits Training School in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. /PSCU
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