President to deliver State of the Nation Address on Thursday

By Mourice Seretta

President Uhuru Kenyatta will deliver the 2020 State of the Nation Address to Parliament on Thursday the 12th of November.

In a communication to the House, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi said he wished to inform the House that he had received a message from His Excellency the President dated 23rd October, 2020 conveying that he intended to deliver the 2020 State of the Nation Address to Parliament on Thursday, 12th November, 2020.

“I wish to notify all Members that a Special Sitting of Parliament will take place on Thursday, 12th November, 2020 at 2:30 p.m. in the National Assembly Main Chamber, Parliament Buildings and that the Speakers of the Houses of Parliament are making necessary arrangements to facilitate the special sitting of the Houses of Parliament,” Muturi said.

Muturi said the offices of the Clerks of the Houses of Parliament have since commenced preparations for the day, which will include seating arrangements in line with the Public Health Guidelines, and that official invitations will be sent out in the usual manner.

The president is supposed to address the Houses of Parliament in accordance with Article 132(1) of the Constitution that states that the President shall address a special sitting of Parliament once every year and may address Parliament at any other time; and once every year, report, in an address to the nation, on all the measures taken and the progress achieved in the realization of the national values, referred to in Article 10.

The Article further provides that The President submits a report for debate to the National Assembly on the progress made in fulfilling the international obligations of the Republic.

This year’s address comes late due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

On Thursday, the Head of State is also supposed to hold a crucial meeting with governors to agree on how to manage the second wave of Covid-19 amid lockdown fears.