Ten present and former heads of states are among various dignitaries from around the world expected in the country ahead of the burial of former President Daniel arap Moi scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, at his Kabarak farm in Nakuru County
In a statement issued on Sunday, February 9, the inter-ministerial committee coordinating arrangements for the state funeral disclosed that it was still compiling a full list of attendees with condolences continuing to flow in from various governments.
Uganda's Yoweri Museveni is among presidents who have already confirmed attendance at the national memorial service to be held on Tuesday, January 11, at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir has also confirmed attendance, with former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and his predecessor Benjamin Mkapa expected as well.
The inter-ministerial committee led by the Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua further disclosed that an unnamed representative of the Queen was set to arrive from the United Kingdom.
Kinyua asserted that the memorial service would be broadcast on all national television and radio channels for Kenyans across the country to follow the events.
“Those events will be broadcast live by all our television and radio stations, a move that will ensure that Kenyans in every part of the republic will be able to take part in giving Mzee Moi a befitting send-off,” he stated.
Museveni is among presidents who had expressed their sorrow over Moi's passing as he traced back their history.
“I first met him when he was vice president. I was his student at the University of Dar es Salaam. So, we used to follow what the leaders in East Africa were doing," he reminisced.
Museveni met Moi again in 1985, this time as a Cabinet Minister in Arusha for a summit.
“I was a minster in the government then. One such time, he served as a mediator between then Uganda’s opposition and government. He was a very active East African and really supported East African unity,” Museveni noted.
During the opening session of the 33rd African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Sunday, February 9, a moment of silence was observed to mark the passing of Kenya's second President. Formerly Mzee Jomo Kenyatta's Vice-President, Moi rose to power in 1978 when Kenyatta passed and ruled for 24 years, retiring in 2002.
A condolence book was also opened up at the summit, where the leaders could share the message of condolences.
Museveni and AU High Representative for Infrastructure Raila Odinga are among the leaders who signed the condolence book.
Former deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission, Erastus Mwencha, described Moi as a pan-Africanist who believed in the formation of a single and common market in Africa.
