- President William Ruto invited some foreign heads of state to join him as the country marked 60 years of independence
- Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwingi is among the visiting presidents who have joined Ruto at Uhuru Gardens
- Deputy President of Burundi Prosper Bazombanza, Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda, and Minister for East African Community Affairs Rebecca Kadaga are also in attendance
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Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Nairobi - President William Ruto is leading the country in the 60th Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens.
Who represented Museveni at Jamhuri Day event?
On Tuesday, December 12, thousands of Kenyans thronged the venue early enough ahead of the celebrations.
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Apart from Kenyans, other dignitaries, among them visiting heads of state, have arrived at Uhuru Gardens to join Ruto in the celebrations.
Among the visiting presidents at Uhuru Gardens are Hussein Ali Mwinyi of Zanzibar and Sahle Work Zewde of Ethiopia.
Other foreign dignitaries at the event include Deputy President of Burundi Prosper Bazombanza, Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda, and Minister for East African Community Affairs Rebecca Kadaga.
The dignitaries join up to 30,000 Kenyans attending the national celebrations that mark the day Kenya attained independence.
President Samia Suluhu of Tanzania could not make it due to the floods that have affected the East African country.
Why Angolan president skipped Mashujaa Day
Meanwhile, as TUKO.co.ke reported earlier, Angola President João Lourenço skipped the 60th Mashujaa Day national celebrations in Kericho.
Lourenço, who landed in Kenya on Thursday, October 19, was supposed to be the chief guest at the Mashujaa Day celebration in Kericho Green Stadium.
However, he couldn't make it and sent his Foreign Affairs Minister Tete António instead.
"On behalf of President João Lourenço, I would first wish to convey his apologies. He would have loved to be here. But for unforeseen reasons, he could not make it to Kericho he has sent you very warm greetings," Tete said.
In his remarks, President Ruto said:
"Our guest, Tete António, Foreign Affairs Minister of Angola who is representing my brother, the Angolan president João Lourenço who is in Kenya as we talk, and he will be having a state visit tomorrow, Saturday, October 21," said Ruto.
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