My Father Died Peacefully Surrounded By Family - Gideon Moi

By Agencies

Kenya's former President Daniel Arap Moi has died at the age of 95.

His death was confirmed by his press secretary Lee Njiru. He passed away at night while receiving treatment at Nairobi Hospital.

"It is with profound sadness and sorrow that I announce the passing of a Great African Statesman, H.E. Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, the Second President of the Republic of Kenya. His Excellency the Former President passed on at the Nairobi Hospital on the early morning of this 4th February, 2020; in the presence of his family," President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a statement.

The former president's son Gideon Moi said that his father died peacefully at 5: 20am on Tuesday.

"...we have accepted. But mine is just to give my heartfelt gratitude to Kenyans.. thank you and may God bless you..." he said 

Gideon was speaking at the Lee funeral home accompanied by Interior CS Fred Matiang'i and other officials.

Moi stepped down in 2002 after being constitutionally barred from running for a further term. He was the country's second president taking over after the death of Jomo Kenyatta in 1978. In office, he was feared and admired in equal measure, and was accused of human rights abuses.

Moi introduced multi-party politics in 1991, but subsequent elections were marred by rigging. He was a more populist politician than Kenya's first President Jomo Kenyatta and his legacy was tarnished by economic stagnation and accusations of corruption.

Moi, born on 2 September 1924 into a farming family, was a close ally of Kenyatta in the run-up to Kenyan independence in 1963. He served as home affairs minister from 1964 and in 1967 he became the country's vice-president. Until the introduction of multi-party politics, Moi was unopposed as president, at elections in 1983 and 1988.