PRETORIA - President Paul Kagame yesterday left for Pretoria, South Africa, to attend today’s inauguration ceremony of the South African President-elect Jacob Zuma.

President Kagame is among over 25 African Heads of State attending the ceremony whose theme is; "Together celebrating a vibrant democracy and building a better life for all.”

Kagame’s departure for the event was announced in a statement from the Office of the President yesterday.

Zuma becomes South Africa’s fourth democratically elected President since the fall of apartheid.

Close to 100 foreign delegations are set to attend the inauguration with a 30,000-strong crowd that will gather at Union Buildings, in Pretoria, the country’s administrative capital.

According to the South African government news website BuaNews, several Heads of State and Government had yesterday started arriving at the Oliver Tambo International Airport, ahead of the inauguration today.

The formal proceedings of the event will start at 11am and will include a 12-gun salute.

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