About 25,000 people walked into Parliament buildings to view the body of former president Daniel arap Moi on Saturday.
National Assembly Town Clerk Micheal Siala confirmed the numbers in an interview with Citizen TV.
“Cumulatively, the machine that was counting people accessing Parliament shows 24,863 came to see Mzee Moi and pay their last respects,” Siala said.
The numbers would have been higher but the process was punctuated by the entrance of a host of dignitaries and VIPs, including President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Cabinet, who also visited the venue to pay their last respects to Mzee Moi.
The clerk projected the number of Kenyans who will view the body on Sunday may go higher than Saturday’s numbers.
The Head of the Civil Service Joseph Kinyua said the number may reach up to 100,000 Kenyans on Sunday alone.
“I am pleased that yesterday (Saturday) Kenyans ranging to 30,000 people viewed the body of President Moi with that figure projected to rise today (Sunday) to 100,000 people,” he said.
On Saturday Kenyans from all walks of life waited in long queues outside Parliament building with the hope of catching a glimpse of the country’s longest-serving president.
On the first day of the public viewing, Moi’s body was dressed in a grey suit, white shirt, matching tie and brown shoes.
“Look at these long queues. They have not come for money or food. Kenyans have left their schedule to come here and mourn mzee. They loved him and want to pay their last respects. That’s encouraging,” observed Baringo Women Representative Gladys Tungo.
But children below the age of 15 years were not allowed to view the body.
The three-day exercise of viewing the former president’s body will end on Monday, paving the way for an inter-denominational church service on Tuesday at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, and burial on Wednesday at the late president’s home in Kabarak.
Additional reporting by Amina Wako
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