Kenya Government Forms a Committee to Organize Kibaki’s State Funeral

The government has formed a national funeral steering committee to organize the burial of former President Mwai Kibaki.

Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua said the committee was created following an order by President Kenyatta, who announced Kibaki’s death earlier in the day. 

The committee, which comprises representatives from both the government and Kibaki’s family, will hold its first meeting on Saturday to deliberate on the way forward.

“The Committee will convene tomorrow for its inaugural meeting, and will in due course issue a detailed programme of the events leading up to the State Funeral,” Kinyua said in a statement.

“That programme of events shall include the dates and venues where the family shall receive visitors, and shall accord all Kenyans the opportunity to participate in paying of last respects to the former Head of State and Government.”

Kibaki, who served as Kenya’s third president between 2002 and 2013, passed away on Friday at the age of 90.

In a televised address at State House, President Kenyatta directed that the country observes a period of national mourning until sunset on the day Kibaki will be interred.

Kenyatta also announced that Kibaki shall be accorded a State funeral, with full military honors and protocols being rendered and observed. The president further ordered that the flag of Kenya be flown at half-mast across the country and all Kenyan diplomatic missions abroad during the period of mourning.

He further directed the Deputy President, the Chief Justice, Cabinet Secretaries, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Speaker of the Senate, Kenya’s diplomats abroad, and anyone else authorized by law, not to fly the national flag on their official motorcade from Friday until sunset on the day Kibaki will be buried.