KENYAN PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA HAS DECLARED THREE
DAYS OF MOURNING FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON
MANDELA. THE PRESIDENT ALSO ORDERED FLAGS TO BE FLOWN AT HALF-MAST FOR THREE
DAYS IN HONOUR OF THE LEGENDARY AFRICAN LEADER STARTING TOMORROW.
HERE IS UHURU'S FULL SPEECH ON MANDELA'S DEATH
IT IS WITH PROFOUND SORROW THAT I
HAVE LEARNT OF THE PASSING AWAY OF ‘SHUJAA’ NELSON ROLIHLAHLA MANDELA, FORMER
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA AND AN OUTSTANDING AFRICAN STATESMAN
AND ICON. ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA AND
ON MY OWN BEHALF, I WISH TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND
FRIENDS OF THE LATE MANDELA AND TO THE PEOPLE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA.
I HAVE DISPATCHED MESSAGES OF MY HEARTFELT SYMPATHY TO HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT
JACOB ZUMA, AND TO MAMA GRACA MACHEL. WE SHARE THE PAIN OF THIS IRREPLACEABLE
LOSS AND MOURN WITH OUR SOUTH AFRICAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. OUR PRAYERS ARE
WITH THEM AT THIS MOMENT OF NATIONAL GRIEF.
PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA WAS AN
EXCEPTIONAL TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER WHO WAS GIFTED WITH UNIQUE, ADMIRABLE
ABILITIES AND STRONG VALUES. HE BELIEVED IN THE NOBLE PRINCIPLES OF EQUITY,
JUSTICE, COHESIVENESS AND INCLUSIVENESS IN GOVERNANCE. HE HAD FAITH AND
CONFIDENCE IN THE ABILITY OF HIS PEOPLE TO REALIZE THE DREAM OF A FREE, UNITED
AND PROSPEROUS SOUTH AFRICA.
MANDELA LIVED AND WORKED FOR A WORLD IN WHICH
PEOPLE SHOULD LIVE TOGETHER IN PEACE AND TRANQUILITY REGARDLESS OF COLOUR, RACE
OR RELIGION. HIS STRONG BELIEF IN AFRICA AND ITS PEOPLE EPITOMIZED THE BEST OF
THE PAN-AFRICANISM SPIRIT. HIS COURAGE TO CONFRONT APARTHEID TRANSCENDED ACROSS
THE WORLD AND PROPELLED THE FIGHT AGAINST COLONIALISM AND DISCRIMINATION.
AS A
FREE MAN, PRESIDENT MANDELA LED THE FIGHT TO FREE AFRICA NOT ONLY FROM
POLITICAL BONDAGE BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT FROM THE SCOURGE OF DISEASE, POVERTY,
POOR GOVERNANCE AND ILLITERACY -- ILLS OF MODERN LIFE. PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA
EMBODIED THE POWER OF HOPE; AND BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS. HE
BEQUEATHED US THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN AND SHOULD UNCONDITIONALLY FORGIVE
THOSE WHO WRONG US.
HE WAS A FIRM BELIEVER THAT RECONCILIATION IS AN IMPERATIVE
AND IS POSSIBLE. HIS LIFE STORY TEACHES THE GREAT LESSON OF THE POWER OF WILL
IN TURNING ADVERSITY TO VICTORY. IN HIS HUMILITY PRESIDENT MANDELA DID WHAT WAS
RIGHT, MADE TREMENDOUS SACRIFICES AND DID NOT SEEK ANY FORM OF PERSONAL PRAISE.
IN SHORT, PRESIDENT MANDELA’S NAME IS CAST ON THE ECHELONS OF HISTORY.
HIS
IMAGE AND STANDING AMONG ALL MEN WILL FOREVER STAND TALL. MADIBA’S STORY
DEFINED AND REFLECTED THE HISTORY AND STRUGGLES OF OUR CONTINENT. IN PRESIDENT
MANDELA, WE LEARN NEVER TO BACKTRACK IN OUR JOURNEY TO CHART OUR DESTINY. WE
HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LIVING BY THE IDEALS THAT HE STOOD FOR. ONLY THE
TRULY EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE LEAVE THEIR MARK IN THE WORLD AND NELSON ROLIHLAHLA
MANDELA WAS ONE OF THOSE.
MADIBA WAS A CHILD AND TRADITIONAL CHIEF OF THE
TRANSKEI AND A LEADER IN THIS WORLD. WE WILL MISS THIS MOST CHERISHED OF
AFRICA’S SONS, A TRUE AFRICAN “SHUJAA”. PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA LIVED AN EXTRAORDINARY
LIFE IN AN ORDINARY WAY. HIS LEGACY ENCRYPTS THE STORY OF HUMANITY, NOW AND
TOMORROW. SOUTH AFRICA, AFRICA AND THE WHOLE WORLD IS A WITNESS OF MADIBA’S
GOODWILL.
FARE THEE WELL, TATA MADIBA!
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