The Rift Valley Regional Commissioner (RC), George Natembeya has clarified that there will be no further public viewing of the late retired president Daniel arap Moi’s body at any other venue after the exercise ends Monday at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi.
Natembeya told residents who had been requesting for a public viewing at Afraha Stadium that the final public viewing of the body will be done today.
He therefore urged residents to disregard information being peddled around that there will be extended public viewing at Afraha Stadium, saying this was mere propaganda.
The RC who was speaking in his office today, said that plans for the late president’s burial at his Kabarak home had been finalized, with an estimated 30,000 people expected to attend the main event, while millions of others will watch the event live on TV stations and giant screens mounted at several places.
He further said that no one would be turned away from Kabarak, saying that adequate arrangements had been put in place to accommodate more people if need arises.
Natembeya urged motorists to comply with directives that will be given by traffic officers who will be stationed at strategic points along the entire Nairobi – Nakuru Highway.
The RC warned that traffic police officers would deal ruthlessly with any motorist found disregarding their instructions, adding that drivers who overlap will have their vehicles impounded and detained.
He urged motorists who can use alternative routes to Western Kenya to do so, in order to avoid traffic snarl-ups expected to characterize the highway on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Natembeya assured mourners that both uniformed and plain clothes police offices have been deployed to beef up security during the event.
He urged Nakuru residents to turn up in large numbers to accord the late former president a befitting send off, adding that all primary and secondary schools in Nakuru had been requested to avail their buses to transport willing residents to Kabarak for the burial service.
At the same time, plans had also been finalized to host at least 6,000 people in a similar function at Sacho high school to enable residents of the area to follow the live proceedings.
Giant screens will also be mounted at Afraha Stadium for those who will not be able to travel to Kabarak for the former president’s final send off on Wednesday.
By Jane Ngugi/Dennis Rasto
