The extended family of Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala is mourning the death of his elder brother Sheikh Salim Mohamed Abdallah Balala.
In a statement, Najib revealed that Salim, who was a prominent politician during the Jomo Kenyatta regime, passed away on the morning of Thursday, September 1.
The late is survived by seven children among them Salaah Balala, Abdallah Balala, Taufiq Balala and Mohammed Balala.
"It is with great sadness to announce the death of my eldest brother, Sheikh Salim Mohamed Abdallah Balala. The late Sheikh Salim is father to Salaah Balala, Abdallah Balala, Taufiq Balala, Mohammed Balala and 3 daughters.
"He is also brother to Hussein Balala (deceased), Talal Balala, Jalal Balala, Abdulnasser Balala, myself, and our 3 sisters," stated Balala.
Holding both the Yemeni and Kenyan citizenship, Salim was a household name in coastal politics and played a critical role from the 1950s to the 1960s.
At the time, the politician was vocal against a clarion call for the Coast region to be left as an autonomous region known as Mwambao.
He instead rallied the Yemeni Arabs to support Kenya African National Union (KANU) as the country fought for independence in the 1950s.
After independence, he served as an MP and Assistant Minister for Finance and Planning from 1966 to 1974.
"My own brother was born in Yemen but became a minister in this government in the 1960s. Today, I'm a minister in the same government and we are part of this society," Balala praised Salim during a meeting with Yemen Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed's visit to Nairobi in 2019.
President Uhuru Kenyatta mourned the deceased as a great leader who had a clear vision for the country’s growth and development.
“In this hour of great sorrow and grief, I convey my deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the family, relatives and friends. As we mourn and pay homage to this visionary leader, let us also celebrate his life and achievements,” stated the Head of State.
The deceased's son, Taufiq Balala, noted that his father had been ailing for a while and needed blood transfusion before he was pronounced dead.
Funeral prayers will be held at Shibu Mosque in Mwembe Tayari Mombasa on September 1, 2022, at 10:00a.m. and burial at Kikowani Muslim cemetery thereafter.
