The president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta has declared three days of mourning for Zimbabwe’s founding leader, Robert Mugabe.
In a statement, Kenyatta ordered all flags to in the country to be flown at high-mast for the next three days to show respect to the veteran leader who died in the early hours of Friday in a hospital in Singapore.
We present the full statement below.
Today the 6th September, 2019, Kenya has lost a close friend, following the passing of H.E. Comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe. I take this opportunity on my own behalf, that of my family and the people of the Republic of Kenya to offer my deepest heartfelt condolences to Mrs Grace Mugabe, the entire family and the people of the great Republic of Zimbabwe.
Comrade Mugabe was a shining beacon of Africa’s liberation struggle, an icon that led Zimbabwe in its liberation struggle from Colonialism to independence. He was also an embodiment of the Pan African spirit, offering immeasurable assistance to his neighbour South Africa, in their struggle to end apartheid, and in his steady insistence that Africa’s problems required African solutions. He spent a lifetime challenging Africa to find its place and voice among the Community of Nations, and stand tall. For all these and many other achievements, he will be fondly missed and remembered.
Kenya and Zimbabwe enjoy strong cordial relations founded on our shared struggle against colonialism and for self-determination. Throughout his tenure as President, H. E. Mugabe maintained close relationships with Kenya, visiting Kenya on several occasions, the last such occasion was during TICAD VI in 2016.
It is this close relationship that has seen Kenya and Zimbabwe assist each other to build capacities in various fields and confer each other at different multilateral fora. We will remember him for nurturing a strong and growing the relationship between Kenya and Zimbabwe.
UHURU KENYATTA,
President.