Moi funeral: Kenyatta, Odinga, Museveni, Salva Kiir eulogise ex-Kenyan president

Kenya

Kenyans on Wednesday flocked the Nyayo National Stadium in the capital Nairobi for the funeral of former president Daniel Arap Moi.

Moi, who led the country for 24 years, died last week at the age of 95. He will be buried on Wednesday at his Kabarak home in Nakuru county after Tuesday’s funeral.

Tuesday has been declared a public holiday in Kenya in his honour, and a large turnout is expected at the ceremony in Nyayo National Stadium.

According to the Daily Nation newspaper, this is the day’s order of events:

08:00 – Members of public to be seated
08.30 – Funeral procession leaves parliament for Nyayo National Stadium
10:00 – State officials and guests to be seated
10:30 – President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta to be seated
10:45 – Memorial service begins
12:00 to 14:00 – Speeches and tributes
14:00 – Casket is taken to Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi

African leaders attend funeral

African heads of state including Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Ethiopia’s Sahle-Work Zewde, South Sudan’s Salva Kiir joined mourners at Moi’s funeral.

Kenya’s Government Spokesman Cyrus Oguna said earlier that seven heads of state and 18 foreign delegations are expected to attend the state funeral.

List of sitting African Heads of State expected at Nyayo Stadium for President Daniel Moi's #NyayoFarewell Ceremony Today

»Paul Kagame??
»Yoweri Museveni??
»Salva Kirr??
»John Magufuli??
»Sahle Zewde??
»Felix Tshiseked??
»Ismail Guelleh??#MoiFinalJourney #RIPMoi

(?Courtesy) pic.twitter.com/jyZRUYHk8G

— Honourable Media Africa™ (@HonourableMedia) February 11, 2020

His Royal Highness, the Duke of Gloucester, is representing the RoyalFamilyat today’s Memorial Service for Kenya’s Second President, H.E. Daniel Toroitich arap Moi. His Royal Highness is Her Majesty The Queen’s Cousin. #NyayoFarewell #RIPMoi #MoiFinalJourney pic.twitter.com/2kbeh084hK
— UK in Kenya (UKinKenya) February 11, 2020

Quotes from Moi’s funeral

‘‘We have come to say farewell to one of the great leaders of our country. He was was human, he made great contributions and like all human he also had his weaknesses. I was for example one of the victims. But I forgave him and we made our peace and shook hands,’‘ veteran politician Raila Odinga.

Moi imprisoned Mr Odinga for six years because he suspected him of involvement in the 1982 coup attempt against him.

‘‘Being human, Moi was not perfect. But as a person close to him in the last three years of his administration, I can that Moi was always genuine, he always meant the best for Kenyans and did his best,’‘ Kenya’s vice-president William Ruto.

‘‘South Sudan is the product of his work and will remain his legacy. My people respect and honour late President Moi,’‘ South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir.

Following his presidency, Moi was appointed as a peace envoy to Sudan by his successor Mwai Kibaki.

‘‘I witnessed the contributions of [Kenya’s former presidents] Kenyatta and Moi. One quality I saw in Mr Moi was that he was a patriot. He also wanted the East African Federation, not just politically but even emotionally you could see that he loved East Africa,’‘ Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni.

‘‘He guided the nation’s political journey into the maturity that we experience today. When time came to leave the stage, Mzee Moi did what was then the unthinkable. He voluntarily and without hesitation peacefully handed the reigns of power… thereby he elevated his stature to that of a statesman,’‘ Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta.