Avoiding the
chaotic city centre, President Kibaki was yesterday spirited to Starehe Boys’ Centre
for the Founders’ Day where he avoided mention of the volatile situation enveloping
the country.
In the comfort of a private registration
BMW, Kibaki left through Gate C of State House shortly after 2.15 pm.
His motorcade snaked through the Arboretum
Drive, Kileleshwa Road and on to Chiromo Road before heading towards Westlands.
From Westlands, the motorcade took
Parklands Road and Forest Road before joining Ring Road, Ngara to arrive at Starehe
shortly after 2.30 pm. |
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| President Kibaki walks alongside
Princess Ann and her husband Timothy Lawrence (centre) at Starehe Boys Centre during
celebrations to mark the school’s 45 years of existence. |
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The President was treated to a variety of
entertainment before speeches began.
He took the podium at exactly 5 pm and his
speech, which lasted close to 10 minutes, dwelt on education, health and drug abuse.
He said the government had chosen to invest
heavily in education, aware that 45 per cent of the developed nations had also invested
likewise.
Kibaki enumerated the strides his
Government had made in education, citing the 7.2 million enrolments this year, up from 5.9
million pupils when universal free primary education started last year.
He said education had one of the highest
budgetary allocations, at Sh9 billion, adding that the Government had set aside more money
to cater for children with special needs and circumstances.
Similarly, the President said his
government had allocated money for the education needs of the Arid and Semi-arid lands
(Asal).
The President lauded Starehe Director
Geoffrey Griffin for taking up his (President’s) challenge last year to set up a
university.
Speaking before Kibaki, Mr Griffin said
Starehe had teamed up with St Mark’s College, Kigari, and St Anne to set up a
university.
Griffin also said that Starehe Girls Centre
would admit pioneering students in January 2005.
Kibaki advised the youth to live carefully,
warning them that Kenya has 1.4 million HIV/Aids orphans.
First Lady Lucy Kibaki did not accompany
the President to Starehe. The Head of State was accompanied by ministers Amos Kimunya and
Raphael Tuju, and assistant ministers Maina Kamanda and Peter Kenneth.
Speaker Francis Kaparo was also in the
entourage, as was the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Mr Francis
Muthaura.
Other notable dignitaries were British High
Commissioner, Sir Edward Clay, his Australian counterpart Paul Comfort, Princess Anne and
her husband Timothy Lawrence. |
