This archive report was first published on 2 January 2022.
January 2, 2022, marked a somber day in Kenya as news of the passing of Dr. Richard Leakey, the former Head of Public Service, spread.
President Uhuru Kenyatta announced Dr. Leakey's death, describing him as a 'distinguished servant' of the nation.
"I have received with deep sorrow the sad news of the passing away of Dr Richard Erskine Frere Leakey, Kenya's former Head of Public Service," President Kenyatta said in a statement from State House.
Dr. Leakey, a globally renowned paleoanthropologist and conservationist, had a distinguished career in public service, serving as Director of the National Museums of Kenya and Chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Service Board of Directors.
He was also celebrated for his prominent role in Kenya's vibrant civil society, where he founded and successfully ran several institutions, including the conservation organization WildlifeDirect.
President Kenyatta extended his condolences to Dr. Leakey's family, friends, and associates, saying, "On behalf of the people of Kenya, my family, and on my own behalf, I send heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the family, friends, and associates of Dr. Richard Leakey during this difficult period of mourning."
