This archive report was first published on 12 June 2020.
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed that the Kenya flag and that of the East African Community be flown half-mast on Saturday, June 13, 2020, to honour late Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza.
According to a statement issued on Friday, June 12, 2020, the flags will be flown half-mast from dawn to sunset at all public buildings, public grounds, and throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Kenya, as well as at all of Kenya's Diplomatic Missions abroad.
"Flags will be flown at half-mast at all Public Buildings, Public Grounds and throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Kenya and at all of Kenya's Diplomatic Missions abroad," the statement read.
Nkurunziza reportedly attended a volleyball match on Saturday afternoon, June 13, 2020, and was taken to hospital that evening after falling ill. Although he appeared to recover on Sunday, his condition suddenly deteriorated on Monday morning, June 15, 2020, and he suffered a heart attack.
Despite an immediate resuscitation attempt, doctors were unable to revive him, and Nkurunziza died at a hospital in Karuzi, eastern Burundi.
The Burundi government declared a period of national mourning for seven days from Tuesday, June 16, 2020, with flags flying at half-mast.
Denise Nkurunziza, the first lady of Burundi, had flown to Nairobi seeking medical treatment for what media reported to be Covid-19.
