The late General Joseph Nkaissery was laid to rest in Il Bisil, in Kajiado County. Family members, friends, several leaders including former Tanzania Prime Minister Edward Lowassa, people from the Maasai community attended the burial service held in Kajiado County on Saturday. The late Nkaissery died of a heart attack a week ago in Karen, Nairobi, and Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i was appointed as the acting Interior CS after the late general’s demise.
President Uhuru Kenyatta described him as a leader of peace, “We shall remember him as a brave leader, a leader of peace, most of all, we shall remember his honesty and straightforwardness,” he said. He said that he could correct anyone, whenever he saw anything wrong, “When he saw something bad he wouldn’t play around to please you, even to me as the President, he never feared to point out where I was wrong,” said the President. He said that during the Friday night before he passed away, they were together and discussed various issue including preparation for the IAAF under 18 championships.
Furthermore, he insisted that Kenyans follow the late Nkaissery’s example of peace, “At this time before we enter elections, I urge all Kenyans to follow Nkaissery’s example. Let’s have peace, preach peace and love each other, elections come but Kenya will remain afterwards,” he said. He condemned the recent heckling in political rallies, “I urge followers to desist from heckling and using abuses, it won’t add any vote to a leader, wait for the election day and make your decision.”
Deputy President William Ruto also eulogized him as a dedicated Kenyan and a leader in different areas who did his duties well as a family man, Member of Parliament and Minister. He also outlined how they shifted parties from KANU to the opposition once and how it contributed to his reluctance to confront the late General when they wanted to appoint him as Interior Cabinet Secretary, “When we had some problems and the President said we must look for the General so that he can help us serve Kenyans, I told him I won’t go because maybe he won’t believe me given that there was a time I told him to shift parties with me and we got lost,” said DP Ruto, “But because he was a gentle person who trusted in Kenya more than politics, he decided to come.”
NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga remembered the late Nkaissery as a leader who loved security matters, “Small arms were in his heart,” he said, adding that he also loved sports “We played with him in the parliament team.” The former Prime Minister noted that when the late General was offered the Interior Ministry job by Uhuru Kenyatta, he asked for advice from him, “When the President asked him to be a Cabinet Secretary, and I told him to go, you are a professional if the country needs you, you go,” said Raila Odinga.
Former Tanzania Prime Minister Edward Lowassa said the late General was dedicated to serving East Africa, ““Nkaissery loved and served East Africa, like President Kenyatta, they ensured we got the East Africa Community early and on time,” he said. “We gave him a task as Maasai leaders to meet and discuss the rights of the Maasai community, he accepted the role and was doing it well,” revealed Lowassa.