From the state funeral to elaborate burial tomorrow, President Uhuru Kenyatta is giving his predecessor, former President Mwai Kibaki, a heartfelt and befitting send-off.
Kibaki’s body will be interred at his Othaya home in Nyeri after week-long mourning in which the body lay in state at Parliament Buildings for public viewing for three days.
On Friday, a Requiem Mass will be held at Nyayo National Stadium presided over by Catholic Archbishop of Nairobi Philip Anyolo and his Mombasa counterpart Martin Kivuva.
Uhuru will lead the political class, top government officials and dignitaries, including at least three visiting heads of state who are expected to attend the service.
The government has declared Friday a public holiday to enable as many Kenyans as possible attend and follow the state event from their homes.
The service and public viewing of the body are among the key state activities that demonstrate President Uhuru’s resolve to give Kibaki, regarded as his political godfather, a befitting send-off.
Kibaki, the country’s third president, is believed to have played a role, albeit discreetly, in Uhuru’s election as President in 2013.
Kibaki and Uhuru were close allies.
In 2008, Kibaki appointed Uhuru as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in the Grand Coalition Government with Raila Odinga the Prime Minister.
The National Funeral Steering Committee formed soon after the President’s proclamation of Kibaki’s death, has been working round the clock, in conjunction with the military to give the former head of state a befitting burial.
When he made his proclamation on his predecessor’s death last Friday, the President made several declarations.
He declared Kibaki shall be accorded a state funeral with full military honours and protocols.
“The nation will observe a period of national mourning from today until sunset of the day of his interment,” the President directed.
Since his death, Kenyan flags have been flown at half-mast at State House and all Kenyan diplomatic missions, public buildings and public grounds, all military bases, posts, and stations.
This too has been the case on all naval vessels of the Republic of Kenya, and elsewhere throughout the territory of the republic.
The President had directed that this be the case until sunset on the day of Kibaki's interment, Saturday.
“That the President, the Deputy President, the Chief Justice, Cabinet Secretaries, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Speaker of the Senate, Kenya’s diplomats abroad and whomsoever else is so authorised by law, shall not fly the national flag on their official motorcade from today until sunset on the day of his interment,” he directed.
The military, of which Kibaki served as Commander-in-Chief for the 10 years he was in office, has taken charge of all the activities leading to the burial.
At the Othaya home in Nyeri, the entire village has been spruced up with roads being carpeted and streetlights erected ahead of the burial.
The funeral committee, formed soon after the proclamation and chaired by Interior CS Fred Matiang'i, in collaboration with the military, has been working around the clock to make the event a success.
The state funeral procession will depart Nairobi for Othaya at 7am on Saturday.
The body will then be transported by road, through Thika Superhighway, with the arrival time expected to be 10am.
Upon arrival, the Requiem Mass and and tribute shall follow before the body is ferried to the former President's home for interment.
Members of the public are expected to throng the roadsides to pay their last respects to the former president.
“We request all members of the public to be seated by 8am because we want to start early so those who have to travel out of town are able to go back to their homes early enough. The funeral service is expected to end at 1pm,” Matiang’i said.
Security officials from the National Police Service and other agencies will man the route to ensure safety.
“You know the military doesn't leave anything to chance, everything is prepared and planned and we have a script by which we are going to connect ourselves.
"So, I want to ask those who will join us on Friday and Saturday to understand that what we are planning is a state funeral, which follows a particular protocol. The only other protocol that is allowed is that of the Church that will conduct the mass,” the CS said.
By 2pm pm Thursday, the preparations for the funeral mass had been completed at the Nyayo National Stadium.
The military, comprising the Kenya Navy, Kenya Army and Kenya Airforce, completed their rehearsals.
The dais has been spruced up with seats carefully arranged.
A big tent has been erected at the ground where the clergy and the body of the former President will be placed during the Mass.
(Edited by SKanyara)
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