President William Ruto on Monday mourned Iranian President Ebrahim Rahisi as a fearless leader.
Raisi passed away in a plane crash alongside his Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian when the plane accident occurred in Northern Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. Nine people were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash.
Ruto, in a statement, noted that his government stands with the Iranian people and described Raisi as a dedicated public servant.
Below is Ruto's full eulogy;
"In light of the tragic news of the passing of H.E. Ebrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Foreign Minister, H.E. Hossein Abdollahian and his entourage of senior officials through a helicopter crash, I wish to express my heartfelt condolences and solidarity with the people of Iran at this challenging time.
"President Raisi was a fearless leader and a dedicated public servant with a long and distinguished career in public service. He was a firm leader committed to the causes that he believed in and sought to elevate
"Iran’s standing on the global stage. Kenya and the Republic of Iran share cordial relations signified by the fact that in his first-ever trip to the African Continent as President, H.E. Ebrahim Raisi chose Kenya as his first destination. As we condole with the people of Iran, we commend Allah's mercy and comfort to the people of Iran."
Shortly after the Head of State shared the condolence message, the Iranian Embassy in Kenya responded with an appreciation message.
"The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran appreciates H.E Dr. William Ruto the Honorable President of the Republic of Kenya for their kind message, and looks forward to enhancing the relations between our two brother nations," read the response.
International media reported that Raisi, 63, and his team were travelling from Azerbaijan where the Iranian President held a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev.
During his Azerbaijan trip, Raisi had also overseen the opening of the Qiz Qalasi and Khodaafarin dams.
Meeting With Ruto
In July last year, Raisi visited Kenya to meet President William Ruto where the two strengthened trade ties. The duo struck formulae that will facilitate higher exports of tea, coffee and meat.
“This will bring about the much-desired trade balance that is in favour of Iran," Ruto stated at the time.
President Raisi, on the other hand, lauded Kenya’s commitment to creating a friendly environment for foreign businesses.
