The state funeral of former President Mwai Kibaki took place this Friday, April 29 in Nairobi. Mwai Kibaki died last week aged 90. He led the country between 2002 and 2013.
With our correspondent in Nairobi, Florence Morice
Very early this Friday morning, thousands of Kenyans took their places in the Nyayo stadium in Nairobi to welcome the coffin of the former president. A dozen heads of state and government also made the trip, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and South Sudanese Salva Kirr. It was under Mwai Kibaki’s first term that the peace agreement was signed in Nairobi in 2005, paving the way for the independence of South Sudan.
At the start of the ceremony, and while Kenya getting ready for a presidential, the archbishop of the capital Philip Anyolo asked that the speeches be rid of any political connotation. And for good reason, the three main players in this election spoke in turn.
Head of State Uhuru Kenyatta paid tribute “ to one of the main architects of the modern Kenyan state “. William Rutu hailed “ greatest president kenya has ever known “. Raila Odinga, alternately ally or enemy brother of Mwai Kibaki, for his part paid tribute to the role played by the late president in ending the post-electoral crisis of 2007-2008.
Mwai Kibaki’s coffin was then to take the road to Othaya, his stronghold in Nyeri County, where he had retired for a time after leaving power. This is where he is to be buried this Saturday.