Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered that beginning June 13, the country’s flag should be raised at half-mast in Kenya and its embassies around the world as a way of paying respect and remembering fallen Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza until sunset of the day he is buried.
Kenyatta issued a decree on Friday saying this is the only way Kenya can express solidarity to fellow East Africans and also honour the great contribution Nkurunziza extended to his people and EAC as a whole during his 15 years of leadership as President of Burundi.
“IN HONOUR OF THE LIFE of His Excellency the Late President Pierre Nkurunziza; and as a mark of the immense respect and esteem he was held in by the People of East Africa, Africa and the entire World; and in recognition of his enormous contributions to advancing integration and prosperity of the East African Community (EAC); and in solidarity with our Brothers and Sisters in the Republic of Burundi, the wider EAC and the whole of Africa who are in deep mourning at the loss of a Great Son of Africa,” Uhuru’s statement reads in part.
He adds that, “I, UHURU KENYATTA, under the authority vested in me as the President of the Republic of Kenya, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT: –
THAT in memory of the Late President Pierre Nkurunziza, and in solemn solidarity and mourning; the Flag of the East African Community and the Flag of the Republic of Kenya shall be flown at half-mast at all Public Buildings and Public Grounds and wherever else throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Kenya and at all of Kenya’s Diplomatic Missions abroad; from dawn on Saturday, 13″ June, 2020 until sunset on the day of his interment.”
President Nkurunziza was due to step down on August 20 and hand over power to Evariste Ndayishimiye, who was elected on 20th May, 2020.
However, on June 8, the government of Burundi announced that the outgoing leader suffered a cardiac arrest as efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
