Flags to fly at half-mast to honour Mugabe, Uhuru orders

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Ex-Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe during Mugabe’s last visit to Kenya in August 2016. [File, Standard]

The national flag will be flown at half-mast in Kenya in honour of Robert Mugabe. 

Flags flying at half-mast is a traditional gesture of honour to express national solidarity in grief.

Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s second president, died on Friday morning in Singapore aged 95. He succeeded Canaan Banana who left office in 1987.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said the flags will fly half-mast from dawn to dusk on Saturday and Monday as a mark of respect for the  Mugabe, an African hero and friend of Kenya.

He sent his condolences to Mugabe’s widow, Grace, and his entire family.

Flags at State House, public buildings and grounds, all military posts and naval stations, naval vessels and across the country are expected to heed to the directive.

Uhuru, who eulogised Mugabe as a shining beacon of Africa’s liberation struggle, said Mugabe maintained close relations with Kenya.

“It is this close relationship that has seen Kenya and Zimbabwe assist each other to build capacities in various fields and confer each other at different multilateral fora,” he said.

“We will remember him for nurturing a strong and growing the relationship between Kenya and Zimbabwe”.

Uhuru described Mugabe as a Pan Africanist who offered “immeasurable assistance to his neighbour South Africa, in their struggle to end apartheid”.

He went on: “He spent a lifetime challenging Africa to find its place and voice among the Community of Nations and stand tall. For all these and many other achievements, he will be fondly missed and remembered”.

Earlier in the day, Deputy President William Ruto also sent his condolences to Mugabe’s family and to the people of Zimbabwe.

“He was a colossus on the Zimbabwean stage and his enduring positive legacy will be his role in ending white minority rule and expanding a quality education to all Zimbabweans,” he tweeted.

Raila Odinga eulogised Mugabe as a liberation hero, who like others, had made mistakes during their reign.

“I wish to pass my condolences to the people of Zimbabwe following the death of their founding Father, Robert Mugabe. We join the country in praying for peace and stability at this moment of national grief,” Odinga said.

Mugabe led Zimbabwe in two spells from 1980 to 2017. He was accused of vote-rigging, intimidation and embezzlement before being removed from power in 2017 after a ‘soft military coup’.