The body of the late Retired President Daniel arap Moi is set to be first taken to Statehouse Nairobi before heading to Nyayo Stadium for a memorial service.
Contrary to the earlier expectation that the late Moi’s body will leave the Lee Funeral Home straight to the stadium, it became clear on Tuesday morning that was not the case.
According to Retired Brigadier Ahmed Mohamed, Defense and Security adviser at the Insitute of International and Strategic Study, the body of the late Moi had to be taken to Statehouse in respect to his 24 years of service as the commander in chief.
“The issue of honoring our late President that he was there for 24 years. It is actually fair that the cottage passes there as the final respect before heading to the stadium.
Those kinds of changes are expected as long as we are working to get the best. That is a great honor indeed and great respect to the head is the state,” he said.
Besides, the presence of Moi’s body at Statehouse will enable foreign heads of state to view Moi’s body and pay their last respect before heading to Nayo Stadium to pay their last respect.
The President of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit and his Ethiopian counterpart Sahle-Work Zewde had already arrived by 7:30 am.
By Tuesday 6 pm thousands of Kenyans from all walks of had arrived at Nyayo Stadium to be part of the late Retired President’s funeral service.
The majority of netizens had already taken their seats by 8 am, the very time they were expected to have settled.
The state of the art funeral service came a day after a three-day viewing exercise of the late Moi’s body at Parliament buildings had come to an end.
Moi passed on Tuesday 4th February at Nairobi Hospital after a long battle with an undisclosed illness.
His death came nearly 18 years after he had peacefully handed power to the Retired President Mwai Kibaki.
He had served Kenyans for 24 years as President and 10 years as a Vice President.
He took over the helm of leadership following the death of Kenya’s founding President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
The interdenominational funeral service comes a day before his internment at Kabarak home.
Moi will be interred beside his late wife Lena Moi, in accordance with his wish.