KENYA: NAIROBI: PRESIDENT DANIEL ARAP MOI SWORN IN UPDATE (2)

(5 Jan 1998) Natural Sound

Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi was sworn in for his fifth and final five-year term on Monday.

Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania, attended the ceremony in a show of support for one of Africa's longest-serving leaders.

The Kenyan President was out at the Nairobi airport to greet his African neighbours - the presidents of Tanzania and Uganda - on Monday.

They were in Kenya to attend his swearing-in for another five year term.

First to arrive was President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania followed by Yoweri Museveni - the President of Uganda.

The East African leaders came to join in the celebrations in a symbolic gesture of support for the 73-year-old President Moi.

Five thousand Kenyans, some carrying posters of Moi, also crowded onto a grassy hill overlooking Nairobi's Uhuru Park to watch their president be sworn in.

It was in this park where President Daniel arap Moi, one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, first took the oath of office following the death of Jomo Kenyatta in 1978.

Moi first inspected a guard of honour made up of members of the 70th Battalion of the Kenyan army, which prevented a coup against Moi in 1982.

Then the 73-year-old ruler was sworn in by Chief Justice Zaccheus Chesoni.

During the ceremony he swore to perform the duties of the president of the Republic of Kenya faithfully, and "with commitment and clear conscience" and he said he would "champion all the people according to the law without fear, favour or hatred".

Moi's swearing-in comes after last week's chaotic election.

It ran for an unprecedented second day and was marred by charges of rigging and eight deaths in political violence.

Moi's two nearest challengers - Mwai Kibaki, his vice president for a decade, and Raila Odinga, son of an independence leader - rejected Moi's victory and called for a new vote.

But on Sunday, the Electoral Commission Chairman Samuel Kivuitu officially confirmed what unofficial results already had shown - that Moi had won with 40 percent of the vote.

But Moi remains unpopular with most Kenyans - 60 percent didn't vote for him but instead chose one of 13 challengers.

Critics blame Moi for rampant corruption and inept management that have badly damaged this once prosperous former British colony's economy.

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