Military precision expected at the burial site in Kabarak

The state funeral accorded to the late former president Daniel Arap Moi has been meticulous with the military having being involved in every stage.

On Tuesday night during an interview on Citizen TV, Brigadier Ahmed Mohammed explained the military order of events expected at Moi's burial site in Kabarak

Mohammed said once the body arrives at Kabarak, the military will be ready on the ground to escort the casket all the way to Kabarak University.

He said the military will play a big role in terms of rites at the burial site.

"It will be a very unique exercise. This being a state funeral and also relating to military traditions. When they head home at the burial site, the clergy will take the lead and do prayers and last service at the site," Mohammed said

Explaining further, Mohammed said the military will have the last post which signifies the final farewell and symbolising the duty of the dead has come to an end and will have a peaceful rest.

What follows next will be the national anthem being played on all the three-stanza, deliberately being played at a slow pace as it is required.

According to Mohammed, the one-minute silence will follow and everyone on-site will be expected to observe that moment.

"The one-minute silence happens to every soldier who dies in service and for a head f state it is very important," he said.

Though not a must, the Brigadier says there may be a flight past in honour of the late president.

What follows next when the body has just been lowered into the grave, is the 19-gun salute, which is aligned with military precision.

Each of the 19 gun salute will run one after the other after 5 seconds in accordance with military traditions.

At this point, Mohammed said the military will play the reveille which indicates the closing of the ceremony.

The Reveille is a bugle call, trumpet call, drum, fife-and-drum or pipes call most often associated with the military and mostly used to wake military personnel at sunrise.

It was played when the body arrived at State House on Tuesday before heading to Nyayo Stadium.

After the reveille, the family of the late president will take over, back to the traditional ceremony.

Moving forward, the burial at that point will be much of a family show where there will be laying of the wreathe.

With the role of the military coming to an end, they will be expected to be on-site for security purposes making them being among the last people to leave.

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