Presidential candidates, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto made thinly veiled attacks at each other while eulogising the late head of state, Mwai Kibaki.
While presiding over the ceremony, Archbishop Anthony Muheria, urged politicians to refrain from political rhetorics and instead celebrate the life and times of Kenya’s third President.
Kibaki’s State Funeral was held at Nyayo Stadium on Friday, April 29.
Raila first gave an analogy of a bishop asked to eulogise a deacon and has to circumvent from speaking on his religion and beliefs.
“I have been asked to eulogise the late President without talking about politics; I don’t know how to do that.
“Mwai Kibaki was a gentleman, a man of conviction. He loved perfection. He was the enemy of corruption. Nobody is indispensable when it comes to issues of corruption under Kibaki,” Raila stated.
The Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya presidential candidate is known for his antigraft campaign and has constantly used his sentiments to castigate his perennial rival, William Ruto.
Raila has, several times, accused Ruto of graft and cautioned that he (Raila) would jail all corrupt leaders and aggressively combat the vice if he assumes power.
Ruto, who spoke after Raila, nonetheless, seized the moment to campaign for the August 9 polls, arguing that Kibaki’s legacy would largely shape the elections.
Known for his bottom-up economic approach, Ruto deviated from mentioning the model, but incorporated it in his speech, noting that he sees the conversation around the economy influencing the elections.
“He laid a firm foundation both in infrastructure development and education and was the architect of our economy. I also can see his shadow and influence on what is going to become the fifth president of Kenya.
“We celebrate his achievement and contribution and reach and solid legacy,” Ruto mourned.
In what can be argued as an attack on his boss, Uhuru, Ruto argued that Kibaki is Kenya’s best president.
“He sowed seeds and laid the foundation upon which our fourth President Uhuru Kenyatta built the expansive, and extensive, elaborate infrastructure we see today in our country.
“Kibaki was the finest economist and the greatest President that Kenya has ever had,” Ruto added.
To seemingly pacify Uhuru, synonymous with all his speeches at events he has attended with the President, Ruto claimed that the head of state borrowed a leaf from Kibaki.
“President Mwai Kibaki is a man of great simplicity and scholar our country ever had and Uhuru Kenyatta has been a good student of Mwai Kibaki.
“I know that as his deputy,” William Ruto stated despite it being clear that the two fell out with Uhuru accused his DP of hypocrisy in the sense of praising the government and castigating it at the same time.
Earlier, Raila concurred with Ruto on Kibaki reviving the economy, noting that He transformed a bankrupt economy and left it growing at 7 per cent per annum.
The family of Mwai Kibaki led by Jimmy we are all with you during this sad moment as we say goodbye to a great patriot, Emilio Mwai Kibaki
“Mwai Kibaki was a gentleman, a man of conviction. He loved perfection. We worked with Kibaki and he used to lead and discuss the budget better than the Minister of Finance and tell him how to do it,” Raila recalled.
He also detailed that they had their differences but Kibaki was always ready to negotiate.
“Kibaki was an advisor to me even in retirement. Kenya has lost a true patriot, a great leader whose value will be revealed as time unfolds.
