Kibaki burial plans kick into high gear
A road is re-carpeted around Othaya Approved School in Othaya town yesterday, ahead of the burial of former President Mwai Kibaki on Saturday.
What you need to know:
- The Kenya Defence Forces and the Office of the President are coordinating all programmes.
- Among other activities, roads are being upgraded, tents pitched and security beefed up.
Othaya town in Nyeri County has been given a facelift as preparations for the burial of former President Mwai Kibaki hit top gear.
Military personnel have pitched camp in the town where the former Head of State will be accorded his final rites on Saturday.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the Office of the President are coordinating the funeral and burial arrangements.
State agencies and private contractors have been deployed to prepare the town and the venue of the funeral for Kibaki’s final rites.
The military is, however, presiding over all funeral arrangements, with Chief of Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi heading the main planning team.
Yesterday morning, General Kibochi and senior military officers inspected ongoing activities.
In line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive that Mzee Kibaki be accorded full military honours, Othaya locals have been treated to a rare show by jetfighters conducting fly-past drills over the town for the past two days.
The funeral service will be held at Othaya Approved School grounds, about five kilometres from the former president’s home. This is the same venue where the funeral service for former First Lady Lucy Kibaki was held in 2016.
Mzee Kibaki will be laid to rest at his rural home in Kanyange on the outskirts of Othaya town.
At least 15,000 people are expected to attend the funeral service, but only close family members, select dignitaries and military personnel will be allowed to access the burial site.
Wonderjoy Party World has been contracted to prepare the funeral service venue at the school. Two stretch tents with a capacity of more than 15,000 seats have been pitched.
Principal Administrative Secretary in the Office of the President Kennedy Kihara, who is leading the Othaya funeral planning committee, said the venue is expected to host mainly Othaya residents, whom the former President represented in Parliament for 33 years.
“We expect about 15,000 mourners to attend the funeral service on Saturday and we have made arrangements for that. We expect mostly the Othaya constituents to attend that,” Mr Karanja said.
Security has been beefed up at both venues. At the same time, the Kenya National Highway Authority and road construction firm Robben Aberdare have over the past two days been re-carpeting the roads around the town.
Most of the roads in Othaya town are tarmacked, but the state is refurbishing them and scrubbing others clean.
Kenya Power has been tasked with ensuring the venues will have uninterrupted supply of electricity.
A temporary telecommunication mast has also been mounted at the school to enable live broadcast of the funeral service.
Other schools near the grounds have also been mapped out to serve as parking lots and landing zones for helicopters.
“Nairobi is not that far, but we have nevertheless made provisions for those who will travel by air and have identified nearby schools to serve as landing zones,” Mr Kihara explained.
Traffic police and marshals will be deployed along the Nairobi-Nyeri highway from Lee Funeral Home to Othaya town.
