This archive report was first published on 21 August 2019.
On August 22, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta will lead Kenyans in commemorating the 41st anniversary of the death of Kenya's founding father, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. The commemoration mass will be held at the Holy Family Basilica in Nairobi County, starting at 10am, and will be open to the public.
According to State House, the mass will be attended by President Kenyatta and African Envoy Raila Odinga, who is expected to return to the country from Bali, Indonesia, on the same day.
It is worth noting that Mzee Kenyatta's death on August 22, 1968, was a significant event in Kenya's history. He was on a 'working holiday' in Mombasa when he suffered a heart attack that left him unconscious for several days.
Although he recovered and continued to discharge his duties as president, the events of that fateful day set in motion a series of arrangements for his future funeral, records of meetings and correspondences between Kenyan and British officials indicate.
These arrangements were planned in high secrecy and without Mzee Kenyatta's knowledge by a close-knit group of ministers working with the British Government Commonwealth Office staff at the Lord Chamberlain's Office.
The group consisted of Vice-President Daniel arap Moi, Bruce McKenzie (Agriculture Minister), Dr Njoroge Mungai (President's personal physician and Cabinet minister), and Charles Njonjo (Attorney-General).
Also brought in to help with security and state funeral planning was Colonel J.R. Anderson, the Chief of Staff at Defence Headquarters Nairobi.
