Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) – Ten thousand police officers will be deployed to provide security during US President Barack Obama’s visit to Kenya, the Nairobi County Police Commander Benson Kibue has said.
Obama, an American of Kenyan ancestry, jets in on Friday night for a three-day visit that will also see him attend the Global Entreprenuership Summit in Nairobi.
Kibue, speaking after a meeting with city police chiefs, said the officers will be deployed to various venues where President Obama will visit.
The Kenyan policemen will work with Obama’s security team, the Secret Service whose advance team is already in the country. Also in the country are President Obama’s presidential limousines, armour-plated look alike limousines known as the ‘The Beast’. One of the two is believed to be a decoy.
Kibue asked Kenyans to cooperate with the police and keep off events where they are not invited.
Apart from attending the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, Obama will also hold bilateral talks with his Kenyan counterpart President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, where terrorism and trade will be the top agenda.
Obama, the son of departed Kenyan economist, the late Barack Obama Snr, will meet the opposition led by former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, leader of the opposition Cord Coalition.
He will take part in a public address at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, an event restricted to invited guests only-selected press, Senators, MPs and others.
Meanwhile, the Nairobi County Government is sprucing up the city, planting flowers, trees, grass on key roads that Obama will use during his visit- Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway that link the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with the central business District.
Also being spruced up is Waiyaki Way which links the CBD with the United Nations offices in Nairobi- UN Habitat and United Nations Environment Programme headquarters.
Parts of some roads have been re-carpeted as the Nairobi County Government embarks on a general clean up of the city.
Key five star hotels in the city – among them Hotel Intercontinental, Serena Hotel, Kempinski and Sankara are fully booked, with the bulk being US security agents.
In Kogelo, western Kenya, the birthplace of Barack Obama Snr, President Obama’s step grandmother, Sarah, and family members are still looking forward to Obama visiting the village.
Even though the US Embassy in Nairobi says Obama will not visit Kogelo, most of relatives in Kogelo, believe that he will make time for the visit in his tight schedule. The last time he visited Kenya was in 2006, he was then a senator.
