Kenneth Lusaka to represent Uhuru at Annan's burial

President Uhuru Kenyatta has replaced National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi with his Senate counterpart Kenneth Lusaka as his special envoy at the burial of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Mr Lusaka will lead the delegation to Ghana for the funeral that is scheduled for September 13.

Sources have told the Nation that because of the uncertainty brought about by the enforcement of the Value Added Tax on petroleum products, the government had decided to replace the leader of the delegation.

STATE BURIAL

Mr Lusaka, who will leave the country Tuesday morning, will lead a delegation of senior members of government, legislature and an official representative from the High Commission of the Republic of Kenya in Abuja, Nigeria, which is also accredited to Ghana.

"I will leave on Tuesday morning for Accra," Mr Lusaka told the Nation on Monday.

The official delegation will be joined by ODM leader Raila Odinga who left the country on Sunday.

Dr Annan, the 2001 Nobel peace laureate, died on August 18 at the age of 80 after a short illness.

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said: "His burial is going to be a major event for our country... I expect many leaders to be present."

He added that Dr Annan will be buried in Accra's new military cemetery.

Born in Kumasi, Dr Annan was the first UN secretary-general from Sub-Saharan Africa.

GREAT LEADER
In his condolence message, President Kenyatta described Dr Annan as a great son of Africa.

"The Government and the people of Kenya join the people of Africa and the international community in remembering his remarkable service to the world," a statement from the Foreign Ministry said.

"In this regard, the people of Kenya are grateful to him for the critical role he played as a mediator during the 2008 post-election crisis."