President Salva Kiir reception at Juba International Airport upon his return to Juba from Nairobi, Kenya, 30.04.2022. Phot Courtesy of the President's Office

President Salva Kiir has returned from the Kenyan capital Nairobi where he traveled to attend the funeral of former President Mwai Kibaki.

Kiir and his accompanying delegation arrived Juba late on Saturday.

On Thursday, the president left for Nairobi where he joined a number of African Heads of States at the funeral of the late Kibaki at Nyayo Stadium.

Kiir, who was on a three-day working visit to the United Arab Emirates last week, had to end his trip midway in order to pay tribute to the former head of state.

Kibaki was laid to rest Saturday evening.

President Kiir said South Sudan owes President Kibaki special gratitude for helping it achieve independence.

“It is through the right of self-determination that today you see the first president of the independent free Republic of South Sudan (Salva Kiir) here. We can say with confidence that we owe President Mwai Kibaki special gratitude for giving us the freedom and independence we enjoy today,” Kiir said in the statement.

The president could not be able to give a speech ‘because he had a problem with his vocal cords.’
He entrusted Cabinet Minister Martin Elia Lumoro to read the speech.

Kenya’s third president Emilio Mwai Kibaki who was elected in 2002 died on Friday at the age of 90.

He is praised for transforming the country’s infrastructure, agriculture, and education sectors.

He is equally criticized for a number of disputed elections and his role in the 2007-2008 violence.