Uhuru, Ruto, Raila, dignitaries attend Kibaki's burial ceremony at Othaya home

The late, retired President Mwai Emilio Kibaki was buried on Saturday evening, at around 5 at his Munyange home in Othaya, Nyeri County.

Kibaki was buried in an elaborate military ceremony that included a 19-Gun Salute and a Kenya Air Force fly-past that was attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta and witnessed the final rite of passage being conducted by the Kenya Defence Forces officers at the solemn ceremony.

Other key leaders who attended the ceremony included Deputy President William Ruto, the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and other leaders.

While addressing the people who went to pay their last respects to Kibaki, Uhuru urged Kenyans to not only emulate Kibaki in words but also in thoughts and deeds.

“As Kenyans, let’s not just say by word of mouth but in deeds and thoughts, let us emulate this elder statesman in all that we do in our lives. I have no doubt if we do that God will continue to bless our nation, the Republic of Kenya,” Uhuru said.

Uhuru thanked the people of Othaya and Nyeri County at large for giving Kibaki to the country, whom he described as a great leader who did a lot for Kenya, East Africa, Africa and the entire world.

Uhuru said the world will always appreciate and cherish Kabaki’s achievements.

“The world will not forget him. We will always appreciate him and cherish his achievements,” Uhuru said.

Uhuru assured Kibaki’s family of his continued support and the support of Kenyans.

“So you are not standing alone. We are together with you and we shall continue to be together with you,” Uhuru said.

Presiding over the ceremony was Archbishop Muheria urged politicians to emulate the late President Kibaki by embracing humility and forgiveness.

He said the virtues are key in consolidating harmonious co-existence amongst Kenyans.

Muheria said Kibaki never said a remark against his competitors but always respectfully joked.

"God wants to reign in our mouths. He (President Kibaki) never said a remark against his competitors. He always joked but was respectful. We need a special sanitiser to disinfect not our hands but our mouths," Muheria said.

The former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura also paid his tribute to Kibaki during the burial sad he could not express the loss and pain felt at the loss of Kibaki for all who served under him in the public service.

Muthaura said they learned a lot from Kibaki as a teacher who empowered all of them, eulogising him as the father of modern Kenya.

"All of us in the public service really learned a lot from his excellency the president. He was our teacher, he empowered us all in the public service, he empowered the private sector, he empowered our military, he empowered our judicial service. Actually, there’s nobody in the public service who cannot say that he learnt and he got a lot of inspiration from our departed president," he said.

Muthaura also said that Kibaki increased the country’s GDP and left it in a better position for his successor, Uhuru, to push it to the highest level.

“When he came to power, our GDP was about 14 billion US dollars. When he retired from the leadership it was around 60 and before that, the economy appeared to be pinned down by the structural adjustments regulations…and when he came it was like he just cut the chains and the economy started bubbling,” Muthaura said.

Muthaura mentioned some of the government projects that were implemented under the leadership of Kibaki listing the Thika Superhighway, the renovation of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the construction of the Isiolo-Moyale highway.

“He focused on the essential foundation of the economy: the infrastructure the roads after building the Thika Road with a lot of doubting Thomases just confidence came into the country. There is no project we did not implement under him. He renovated Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Suddenly, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport became the most modern airport in Africa."

“I’ve heard a lot of people talking nobody has mentioned it the Isiolo Moyale highway is about 520 kilometres it was built I think within but I can remember you excellent the president because you were funding it I think three years we realized that road the. The purpose was to open up Northern Kenya to join Kenya with Ethiopia because our president Mwai Kibaki was an economist. He was to open up space for economic activities for this country.”