We are here to mourn his death and also to celebrate the great life of a man who had an incredible gift of tolerance and a great ability to withstand pressure or pain without showing fear, Kenyatta said during a funeral mass.
The Kenyan President, who called Kibaki “one of the greatest African statesmen of his time” and “laid the foundations for Kenya’s economic development and nationality,” highlighted his ability to “turn around political calamities following the 2008 election violence in a constitutional process”.
In addition to Kenyatta, he was also honored by the Presidents of Ethiopia (Sahle-Work Zewde), South Africa (Cyril Ramaphosa) and South Sudan (Salva Kiir Mayardit), as well as representatives of the heads of state of Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda, among other African nations.
Zewde commented that Kibaki had always been a true friend of his country, stressed “the strengthening of ties between Ethiopia and Kenya during his tenure” and emphasized “the mediation of both nations to reach the South Sudan peace agreement”.
He will be remembered for his great leadership in Kenya and on the continent. He was a great statesman. We learned many lessons from his leadership and will always remember how great he was, Ramaphosa said.
Our country suffered from the news. We offer our final respects and condolences to all Kenyans. We feel the anguish they are going through but at the same time I think they are here to celebrate the life of a great statesman, he added.
Kiir Mayardit, meanwhile, praised Kibaki’s “hard work to ensure South Sudan gains freedom and independence unconditionally”.
The peace agreement for South Sudan, he assured, was signed here in Nairobi during the presidency of Mwai Kibaki thanks to his management, and our country’s flag flies at half-mast in his honor.
Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki, who ruled from 2002 to 2013 and is particularly remembered for his economic leadership, died on April 22 at the age of 90 and is buried in Nyeri, a county in central Kenya.
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