Why President Uhuru cancelled trip to Kakamega

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday skipped devolution conference in Kakamega. Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru told the meeting that Mr Kenyatta, who was expected to officially open it, would make his address via a video link from State House, Nairobi. The Presidential Strategic Communications Unit confirmed the Head of State’s no-show.

“@PresidentKE @UKenyatta will address delegates at the 5th Devolution Conference being hosted in Kakamega County via a Live Televised link from @StateHouseKenya,” PSCU said in a tweet.

Sources familiar with the development told the Nation that Mr Kenyatta’s flight plans were hit by bad weather. Nairobi on Tuesday woke up rainy skies, floods and heavy traffic that affected thousands of commuters.

It was not immediately clear how the rains hampered the president’s travel plans. At Kakamega High School, the venue of the conference, security chiefs had amassed all relevant protocol for his coming.

SEE: Air hostess evicted from rental house now a millionaire

However, the programme was let to start without the Head of State as is tradition. Ms Waiguru later announced while giving her speech that the president “has joined us via video link.”

This was a moment after Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said he was still hopeful the president would attend. If he addresses the meeting via video link, it will be Mr Kenyatta’s first time since the annual conference started in 2014.

It was not clear if the president will reschedule his attendance of the four-day conference but the video-link address could also signal government’s adoption of technology when physical presence is difficult.

READ: Meet the tout from ‘heaven’ who returned Sh30k to a passenger