Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has notified members of a scheduled State of the Nation address to Parliament by President William Ruto this Thursday.
The notification of the joint sitting, made in line with the Senate standing orders, 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,” a Gazette notice dated November 13 reads in part.
“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.”
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula made the communication last week as he directed the clerk to gazette the sitting.
"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,” he said.
This will be Ruto’s third address since he assumed office.
His inaugural address was on September 29, 2022.
Article 132 (1) (b) and (c) dictates that "Once every year, the President is expected to report, in an address to the nation, on all the measures taken and the progress achieved in the realization of the national values, referred to in Article 10 and submit a report for debate to the National Assembly on the progress made in fulfilling the international obligations of the Republic."
Ruto is further expected to submit a report for debate to the National Assembly on the progress made in fulfilling the international obligations of the Republic.
This year's address comes two weeks after the swearing-in of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
The President will address measures taken to achieve national security, and national values, and also highlight achievements of his administration such as the rollout and uptake of the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) that replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
