NAIROBI: Whistling by opposition lawmakers forced Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta to interrupt the country’s annual State of the Nation address on Thursday, obliging the parliamentary speaker to restore order.

Kenyatta cut short his address moments after he started, when the loud whistling began.

The interruption was the first of its kind since early 2008, when Parliament was disrupted by shouting and heckling after a disputed presidential election in December 2007. Opposition lawmakers had earlier indicated they were considering showing their displeasure with Kenyatta’s government by disrupting his speech.

Speaker Justin Muturi ordered security to remove the opposition lawmakers who were orchestrating the disruption.

Kenyatta resumed the speech after a delay of around 25 minutes.