Kenya pays final tribute to ex-President Daniel arap Moi

Text by: RFI Follow

The national funeral of former Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi took place in Nairobi on Tuesday February 11. Several leaders were present to pay tribute to him. In the streets of the capital, opinions on the former head of state were heterogeneous. For some, he was a hero. For others, a dictator.

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With our correspondent in Nairobi, Charlotte Simonart

Daniel arap Moi, who died at the age of 95 on February 4, was again honored on Tuesday February 11 in Kenya, the country he ruled with an iron fist from 1978 to 2002. His national funeral was held at Nyayo stadium in central Nairobi. The 30,000 places were filled.

Tens of thousands of Kenyans thronged the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi where the state funeral service of Kenya's second President and iconic leader Mzee Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was held. pic.twitter.com/ABMj2ggBd0

Several heads of state were present, including Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Paul Kagame (Rwanda).

Onlookers tried to force entry, but the police intervened. Among the expelled, there were many disappointed.

" We are very grateful to him "

Geoffrey comes from the Rift Valley, stronghold of the late Daniel arap Moi . “ He has been our president for so long. We are very grateful to him especially for what he has done for education. Wednesday I will go to the funeral. It's 300 kilometers from here, but he so deserves it , ”he says.

Richard, in his sixties, tried to follow the ceremony on his old phone. “ I listen to what is going on in the stadium on the radio. I want to be talked about through the good things he did during his reign, ”he explains.

"He was a dictator "

But in Nairobi, the former president doesn't just have fans. All these days of mourning and this ceremony make some Kenyans cringe. Vicky does not hide his anger: " There are so many people starving and the government says there is no more money ... but today they are spending a fortune on this funeral. "

Joseph preferred to stay at home on this declared holiday. No question of paying homage to Daniel arap Moi: “ I don't care about him. He was a dictator. People weren't free. How many books, newspapers, magazines has he censored? We have lost our democracy. "

Even after his death, Daniel Arap Moi continues to divide. He will be buried Wednesday February 12 in the small town of Kabarak, in the center of the country.

Moi has left several legacies in Kenya.

Gabrielle Lynch, Professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Warwick and specialist in the history of Kenya

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