Moi: State picks Tuesday for public funeral service

Former President Daniel Arap Moi. He will be buried on February 12.PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • President Uhuru Kenyatta will lead the nation in a memorial service for the former Head of State.

The government has declared Tuesday, February 11 a public holiday for citizens to attend former president Daniel Toroitich arap Moi's funeral service at Nyayo Stadium, Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua said Thursday.

Moi, who died on Tuesday aged 95, will be buried at his Kabarak home in Nakuru County on Wednesday, February 12.

"The full list of attendees will be announced in due course," he said at a press conference.

President Uhuru Kenyatta will lead the nation in a memorial service for the former Head of State.

The national memorial service, Mr Kinyua said, will be an inter-denominational service led by the Africa Inland Church (AIC).

Before then, Kenyans of all walks of life will have three days from Saturday to Monday to view the body, which will be lying in state at Parliament Buildings.

Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua said President Kenyatta, who is in the US, will be the first to view the body at State House on Saturday at 10.15 am.

The body will leave the Lee Funeral Home at 8 am with the casket draped in the national flag.

The funeral procession will snake through Valley Road to Kenyatta Avenue and on to Parliament Road after which a military parade will be mounted in his honour.

"Members of the public will view the body at Parliament Buildings and we have made arrangements with the security teams to allow as many people as possible while making sure that we avoid any commotion," Mr Kinyua told journalists on the steps of Harambee House.

The former Head of State will be accorded full military ceremonial honours, which include conveyance of the body under escort in a gun carriage, accompanied by military musical honours and a 19 gun-salute.

"In addition to other ways of remembering and honouring Mzee Moi, we encourage each and every Kenyan to plant a tree in his memory or undertake an act of benevolence for the most needy members of our society," Mr Kinyua said.