Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa has travelled the Republic of Kenya to attend the funeral of former president Emilio Mwai Stanley Kibaki.
Acting Presidency spokesperson Tyrone Seale said Ramaphosa undertook this visit to Kenya after he hosted a state visit by President Umaro Embaló, of the Republic of Guinea-Bisseau, on Thursday.
Kibaki died on April 21 at the age of 90.
The funeral for the late statesman will take place at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi at 10am (9am South African time) today.
Kibaki will be buried at his home in Othaya, in the Nyeri highlands, on Saturday.
The Presidency said Ramaphosa would be supported by Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Naledi Pandor.
Last week, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that Kibaki, who served as Kenya’s third president from 2003 to 2013, had died.
“Mwai Kibaki will forever be remembered as a gentleman in Kenyan politics, a brilliant debater and one who steered development in the country,” Kenyatta said.
Kibaki is credited with reviving Kenya's then ailing economy.
To honour Kibaki, Kenyatta ordered a mourning period during which flags would be flown at half-mast, according to international media.
On Thursday, Kenyan publication “The Standard” reported that Ramaphosa would join other African heads of state at the funeral, including South Sudan’s Salva Kiir Mayardit and Ethiopia’s Sahle-Work Zewde.
Former Malawian president Joyce Banda was also scheduled to attend.
The publication reported that three vice-presidents – Philip Mpango of Tanzania, Jessica Alupo of Uganda and Constantino Chiwenga of Zimbabwe had confirmed their attendance.
Rwanda’s Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente was also expected to be there.
IOL