"It is with deep sadness that I announce the death of a great African statesman, His Excellency Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi, the second president of Kenya," said current President Uhuru Kenyatta, traveling to United States, in a written "presidential proclamation".
The former head of state, who ruled Kenya with an iron fist between 1978 and 2002, died on Tuesday February 4 at the age of 95. A teacher by training, he succeeded the father of independence Jomo Kenyatta - himself father of Uhuru - when he died in 1978.
His long reign - the longest of a Kenyan president - was marked by the hardening of a repression already wielded by Jomo Kenyatta, the muzzle of dissent, arbitrary detentions, tortured opponents and corruption. In 1982, he established a single party system.
"He was one of the leaders in Kenya's independence struggle and a staunch pan-Africanist," said Uhuru Kenyatta, however. "As such, the legacy of the late Me undoubtedly places him among the greatest Africans."
National mourning
Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered the country to observe "national mourning" until the funeral, which will be a "state funeral" and the date has yet to be determined. Until then, flags will be hoisted at half-mast on all public buildings as a sign of respect.
The former president died "in the early hours of February 4, 2020 at the Nairobi hospital, in the presence of his family," added the head of state.
One of the children of the former president, Senator Gideon Moi, confirmed the death at 5:20 am Tuesday morning (02:20 GMT). "He died peacefully, I was by his side, and as a family, we accepted (his death)".
Several leaders of the region, Ethiopian, Burundian or even Tanzanian, expressed their condolences to Kenya as well as to the family of the deceased former president.
Corruption
Former opponent Raila Odinga, imprisoned for his opposition to the single party in the 80s and 90s, praised Daniel arap Moi on Tuesday for his decision to finally restore multiparty politics, to which the deceased was fiercely opposed, for the 1992 general elections. .
A decision taken under pressure from the clergy, civil society and the international community. "Mr. Moi and I were reconciled after our political differences in the 80s and early 90s," said Raila Odinga, four-time unsuccessful presidential candidate, especially against Mr. Moi in 1997.
Daniel arap Moi's successor at the head of the country, former President Mwai Kibaki, reminded him that Mr. Moi's ability to "assert the authority of the state" has helped maintain stability in Kenya in the 1990s, where other countries in the region then sank, such as Rwanda, Burundi or Somalia.
But this authoritarian exercise of power also earned him to be called a dictator by his detractors. In the crosshairs of the Moi regime were the cultural elites, human rights activists, environmentalists, such as the writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o or the future Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai.
The Kenyans also suffered unemployment and inflation, in an economy plagued by corruption: I, the party of power, his regime will be accused of massive embezzlement, via a system of false exports - the "Goldenberg" case, for which he will never be really worried.
In recent years, Kenyan observers have repeatedly deplored a form of gentle rehabilitation of the former autocrat, who was regularly visited by prominent political leaders who came to consult him.
With AFP
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