Nairobi — A minute-by-minute account of the promulgation of Kenya's new Constitution at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, on Friday August 27:

10:44am - Next, Prime Minister Raila Odinga. There are loud, wildest cheers from the crowd.

10: 40am - President Kibaki takes afresh the oath of office and allegiance to the new law.

10.36 am - Justice Evan Gicheru is the first person to swear allegiance to the new Constitution. Incidentally he will be among the first people to leave office under the new law.

10:33 am - The cheering at its loudest. The flag that has been hoisted is 22 by 14 ft and has risen to a height of 30 metres where it will remain as a permanent feature.

10.32 am - The cannon blasts as the flag is hoisted. IT’S A NEW KENYA!

10:29 am - The National Anthem is sang in Kiswahili as Kenyans on the trees wave miniature national flags as they sing along to the three stanzas. More loud cheers.

10.28 am - Loud cheers as the fanfare is played with President Kibaki waving the Constitution. You should see the smile on the man’s face

10.27 am - The seal is affixed on the new constitution and it is then held up for the crowds to see. And now, Kenya is under a new constitution!

10:26 am - President Kibaki is seated at the table signing the instruments of the promulgation after which the three stanzas of the National Anthem shall be played.

10.25 am - I Mwai Kibaki, President of the President of Kenya and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces in exercise of the powers granted to me by Section 47 of the Constitution declare that the Constitution set out in the schedule shall become the new Constitution of the Republic of Kenya starting this date the 27th of August 2010.

10:16am - It's now President Kibaki speaking, giving the promulgation statement. Standing beside him at the dais is Attorney General Amos Wako.

10.15am - Attorney General Amos Wako takes out the instruments of the promulgation and after consultation with President Kibaki hands them to read.

10:12 am - Government responds to the presence of Sudan President Omar al Bashir. Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetangula says, “He is here in response to our invitation to all our neighbours and the sub-region to attend this historic moment for Kenya, you do not harm or embarrass your guest. That is not African," Mr Wetang'ula added. “The government appreciates the presence of all our distinguished guests for honouring us,” he said in response to the presence of the indicted leader in the country.

10:08am - Catholic Archbishop John Cardinal Njue currently leading prayers at the Uhuru Park venue. Prays for unity in spite of our "religious, and social status." The crowd jeers and whistles instead of praying with him.

9:58 am - The promulgation falls on Friday, the Muslim’s day of worship and during the holy month of Ramadhan. Kenyan Members of Parliament will later address a press conference on Sudan President Omar al Bashir.

9.57 am - Round of prayers begin by a traditional elder, the Muslim Chief Kadhi and Christian leaders.

9.55 am - Inspection is over and President Kibaki takes his seat.

9:48am - The National Anthem is played and a little later, President Kibaki inspects a guard of honour.

9.45 am - First Lady Lucy Kibaki arrives dressed in black and a gold sash accompanied by her grandson in a grey suit. The golden sashes adorned by ministers and the First Lady are the mark of national honours awarded to them. Those who have been awarded the Elder of the Golden Heart (EGH) are wearing the gold colours and the presidents large chain is the Chief of the Golden heart.

Speaker of Somali Parliament arrives. Trust Kenyans to look for the best vantage points and for some of them at Uhuru Park today, they chose the trees.

9.42 am - The President’s motorcade and the Special Land Rover that he will board as the Commander –in-Chief line up at the right of the dais.

09:43 am - President Kibaki arrives. Formal programme starts with him inspecting the guard of honour.

09:32 am - President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi arrive.

09:16 am - Surprise as Sudan President Omar al Bashir arrives for the ceremony. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court at The Hague for war crimes in Darfur.

09:12 am - Dignitaries present include former presidents Daniel arap Moi (Kenya), John Kufuor (Ghana), Olesegun Obasanjo (Nigeria) and Benjamin Mkapa (Tanzania). Also at the VIP dais is the former Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, who chaired the Panel of Eminent African Personalities that mediated the Kenya peace deal following the post election violence.

09:05 am - The sky gets more gray in Nairobi, drizzling and cold, but the crowd is energised. Singing, shouting, blowing vuvuzelas.

09:02 am - The military parade take position for the guard of honour, clear sign President Kibaki is about to arrive.

08:59 am - The crowd goes wild as Prime Minister Raila Odinga arrives in the company of his wife Ida and children escorted by a battery of security detail and waves to the ecstatic crowd as he is led to the dias.

8.58 am - Vice President  Kalonzo Musyoka arrives with his wife Pauline to a warm reception.

8.57 am - Goldenberg architect Kamlesh Pattni arrives to mixed reactions at Uhuru Park.

8.46 am - Chief Justice Evan Gicheru, Attorney General Amos Wako and House Speaker Kenneth Marende arrive dress in their official gowns and take their place at the dias.

8.45 am - Celebrated female Kenya Boxer Congestina Achieng makes a grand entry dressed in a sparkling white track suit to wild cheers as she shadow boxes to the delight of the crowd.

8.37am - Lancaster veteran Ngala Mwendwa arrives with his wife and is escorted to the dias as the Armed Forces Band plays ‘Kenya Taifa Letu song’. Also arriving is US ambassador Michael Ranneberger.

8.30 am - Former President Moi arrives and is escorted to the dias amidst tight security but receives a hostile reception from the crowd who broke into chants of ‘Yote Yawezekana bila Moi’- the 2002 NARC campaign song. Master of Ceremony Sammy Lui pleads with the crowd to be calm and exercise restrain and decorum for the former president.

8.25 am - Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi arrives hand-in-hand with his wife Tessy and followed closely by his counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta and Cabinet Ministers Mutula Kilonzo, Yusuf Haji  and Fred Gumo and their spouses. All ministers adorned in gold-coloured sashes.

08:15 am - MPs arrive in three buses after a short ride from Parliament buildings. Women legislators resplendent in national colours of black, red, green and white. Cabinet Minister arrive in a separate buses from the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC).

08:07 am - Catholic prelate John Cardinal Njue arrives at the venue to cheers from the multitudes. Cardinal Njue led church leaders in opposing the new Constitution but decided to accept the results of the referendum that passed it on August 4. Some jeers can be heard from the crowd.

Kenyans begun stream into Nairobi's Uhuru Park - the venue of a grand ceremony on Friday to usher in their new Constitution.

The grounds are already jam-packed with multitudes after the first to arrive took their positions as early as 4am, braving a chilly weather and a light drizzle.