Ruto set for this week's State of the Nation address

By Peter Ochieng

President William Ruto will this week address the Nation through a joint Parliamentary sitting.

Speaker of the Senate Amason Jeffa Kingi has already notified members of the scheduled State of the Nation address, set for Thursday, November 21, 2024.

According to the notification, the joint sitting will take place at the National Assembly's main chamber.

“Notice is given to senators that pursuant to Article 132 (1) (b) of the constitution, the president shall address a special sitting of parliament on Thursday, November 21, 2024,” reads in part a Gazette notice dated November 13.

“Accordingly, pursuant to standing order 25 of the Senate standing orders, I notify all senators that a special sitting of parliament shall be held on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 2:30 pm.”

Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetang’ula also made a similar communication to Members of Parliament (MPs).

"I wish to inform the House that I have received a message from His Excellency the President conveying that he intends to deliver the State of the Nation address to Parliament.”

According to Article 132 of the constitution, the President shall address the opening of each newly elected Parliament.

He or she 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 realisation of the national values, referred to in Article 10; publish in the Gazette the details of the measures and progress under subparagraph and submit a report for debate to the National Assembly on the progress made in fulfilling the international obligations of the Republic.

His last address to Parliament was on November 09, 2023, while his first was in September 2022, shortly after being sowrn in as Kenya's 5th President.