What does the Constitution say About the Swearing of the President-Elect?

According to the Assumption of the Office of the President Act 2012, the swearing-in of the President-elect shall be in public before the Chief Justice, or, in the absence of the Chief Justice, the Deputy Chief Justice.

The President-elect shall be sworn in on the first Tuesday following the fourteenth day after the date of the declaration of the result of the presidential election if no petition has been filed under Article 140; or the seventh day following the date on which the court renders a decision declaring the election to be valid if any petition has been filed under Article 140.

This act was validated to ensure a smooth and gradual process of assumption of office in accordance with article 141 of the constitution by making provisions on the necessary arrangements for assumption by the president-elect.

The swearing-in ceremony of the president Elect William Samoei Ruto is being organized by the 20 members transition committee headed by the head of public service, Dr. Joseph Kinyua.

The president-elect will take the oath of office administered to him by the chief registrar in the presence of the Chief Justice or Deputy Chief Justice in the absence of the CJ. The oath has to happen between 10 am and 2 pm. He will then sign a certificate of inauguration.

The outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta will then hand over to the president-elect a sword and the constitution which are the instruments of power.

The swearing-in of William Ruto as Kenya’s fifth president at Moi International Sports Centre (Kasarani) will be on Tuesday 13th from 10 am which has been gazetted as a public holiday.

By Cynthia Ochieng.