Kenya’s longest-serving president Daniel Arap Moi to be laid to rest today
Kenya’s former president Daniel Arap Moi will be buried today in his home area of Kabarak, 220 kilometres (135 miles) northwest of Nairobi.
According to the country’s Head of Public Service, Joseph Kinyua on Thursday, February 6 issued a statement confirming when the burial of the late president Arap Moi will take place.
“The former president will be accorded a state funeral with full civilian and military ceremonial honours,” said Joseph Kinyua, Kenya’s Head of Public Service in an interview last week immediately after the Moi’s death.
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“We encourage every Kenyan to plant a tree in his memory,” Kinyua said. His body will be buried the next day in his home area of Kabarak, 220 kilometres (135 miles) northwest of Nairobi.”
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Earlier, the former president who ruled the country with an iron fist for 24 years between 1978 and 2002, was honoured with a state funeral yesterday.
Arap Moi’s body was laid in state at Parliament Buildings on Saturday, February 8 where the country’s current President, Uhuru Kenyatta led the country in viewing the body of the deceased which was open to members of the public from Saturday, February 8 to Monday, February 10.
Being a state funeral, Kinyua also implied that the ceremony will be characterized by special military procedures in Moi’s honour. He will also receive a three-volley salute because he was a former Commander-in-Chief.
Also, the late president who will be interred at his farm in Kabarak, Nakuru County on Wednesday, February 12.
Meanwhile, a gun salute will be fired after his body is lowered into the grave with members of the firing party pointing their guns above the late’s casket and fire a gun salute ranging between 13 and 22 rounds of ammunition.
Who was Moi?
Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi was a Kenyan statesman and politician who served as the second and longest President of Kenya.
He served as the third Vice President of Kenya from 1967 to 1968 and succeeded Jomo Kenyatta following the latter’s death.
Arap Moi died on February 4 aged 95. His 24-year rule saw Kenya as a country become a one-party state where critical voices were crushed, corruption became endemic and tribal divisions were stoked and turned bloody.
Moi was however praised for keeping Kenya a relative haven of peace during a chaotic period in east Africa.
By John Dalton Kigozi
