President William Ruto has urged fellow African leaders to lead the transformation of the continent in tribute to the values advocated by the late Namibian president, Hage Geingob.
In his tribute at Geingob's memorial service in Windhoek, Namibia, Ruto emphasized that the most significant homage Africa could pay to the former president was to ensure the economic empowerment and political emancipation of the continent
“Together as a continent, believing in what President Geingob believed in, we must reform our African Union (AU) so that it becomes of the epicentre of green growth,” he said on Saturday.
Ruto noted that the continent has lost a visionary leader whose voice in African affairs is unmatched.
He eulogised the late President as an accomplished scholar and one of the architects of the Namibian constitution that has given his country political stability.
“He stood tall as a pan-Africanist who believed in the unity of our continent,” Ruto added.
The Head of State said that he learnt of Geingob's death with shock and his first move was to phone the then Vice President, now President, Nangolo Mbumba to pass his condolences and those of the people of Kenya
"Today, I join you on behalf of the people of Kenya and government of Kenya, on this solemn send-off of our brother, the president of Namibia," Ruto said.
He added that President Geingob was a passionate leader who stood tall as an African who believed in the unity of our continent.
"We must work hard on this independence and freedom project especially now, so that we can liberate, not just for independence's sake, but we can liberate our economies saddled with debt," Ruto added.
Ruto was one of 18 heads of state and government who joined thousands of Namibians to bid farewell to the late president.
Among the foreign dignitaries present during the official memorial service were Presidents João Lourenço (Angola), Mokgweetsi Masisi (Botswana), Felix Tshisekedi (Democratic Republic of Congo), Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia), Frank-Walter Steinmeier (Germany), Samia Suluhu (Tanzania) and Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe).
Others included the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Lesotho Prime Minister Samual Matekane and Presidents Filipe Nyusi (Mozambique), Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi) and Sauli Niinistö (Finland).
The ceremony was also attended by AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat and Southern African Development Community (SADC) executive secretary Elias Magosi.
