Military gun carrier that ferried Kibaki’s body
The body of former President Mwai Kibaki is taken back to Lee Funeral Home from Parliament Buildings through Valley Road in Nairobi on April 25, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Around 6:40am, the procession left Lee Funeral Home in a slow drive that attracted the attention of curious Kenyans.
- At 7:15am, the procession arrived at Parliament Buildings where the casket was mounted onto a waiting roller and the National Anthem played.
Former President Mwai Kibaki’s casket was carried on the same military gun carrier that was used during Daniel arap Moi’s funeral procession in February 2020.
The Kenya Defence Forces yesterday used one of its tactical gun carriers to carry the casket from Lee Funeral Home to Parliament Buildings in a spectacular military procession that was a replica of former President Moi’s funeral procession two years ago.
The vehicle, a four by four multirole troop carrier, is a member of the VLRA model of vehicles produced by Ateliers de Construction Mecanique de IÁtlantique, a subsidiary of Renault Trucks Defence that is designed specifically for the military and special forces use in conducting reconnaissance, escort and support duties.
It provides a high level of protection to its occupants by reducing the effects in the event of a blast and is able to withstand a ballistic attack.
However, in Kenya, the truck has never been deployed in the battlefield and has only been used for ceremonial events.
The layout of the vehicle is designed to carry two officers in the crew cabin, accommodate 12 others in the troop compartment and mount cargo on the rear side.
The cargo compartment can also mount a heavy machine gun or rocket propelled grenade launchers depending on the requirements of the mission.
Yesterday’s mission was however different and the “cargo” unique in that it was the casket bearing the body of the former President draped in a Kenyan flag. Leading the procession in the crew cabin was Brigadier Jeff Nyagah, the commander of the ninth Kenya Defence Forces contingent in Somalia.
Public viewing
Coincidentally, Brigadier Nyagah also led Kibaki’s last military parade on April 9, 2013 during which Kibaki handed over instruments of power to President Kenyatta at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani.
The troop compartment carried nine senior officers in the rank of Colonel who took the role of pall bearers all dressed in their red tunics.
Around 6:40am, the procession left Lee Funeral Home in a slow drive that attracted the attention of curious Kenyans who recorded the cortege as it snaked its way to parliament through Valley Road and Uhuru Highway using their phones.
At 7:15am, the procession arrived at Parliament Buildings where the casket was mounted onto a waiting roller and the National Anthem played. After the anthem, a small guard of honour was mounted and the casket wheeled into the red carpeted Speaker’s walk by 10 Colonels who marched in a slow procession behind a small team of religious leaders.
After a brief moment of prayer and paying of respects to the late president, the late body was removed from the casket and placed on a table draped in white linen and pillow setting the stage for the viewing exercise.
The viewing was led by President Uhuru Kenyatta whose motorcade arrived at Parliament grounds at 10am. Four Colonels from the four army formations took positions at each corner of the table with their heads slightly bowed in respect to their former Commander in Chief.
The Colonels will stand guard in turns during the entire time that the body will lie in state for public viewing that began yesterday. The viewing will be open to the public until tomorrow.
On each of the three days, Brigadier Nyagah will lead his team in taking the body to Parliament for viewing in the morning and return it to Lee Funeral Home for preservation in the evening.
