Political antagonists President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM’s Raila Odinga on Friday united in grief of the late US-based Kenyan scholar Calestous Juma, 64, who passed on while undergoing treatment in Boston.
Taking to Twitter, President Uhuru Kenyatta described the Harvard University lecturer who hails from Busia County as a distinguished scholar and patriot, adding that he recognises his huge contribution to the founding of the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) in Nairobi.
“Those who had the pleasure of meeting him — or communicating with him online and off — will testify to his warmth, his love of learning, and his great generosity,” President Kenyatta tweeted.
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He added: “I am grateful for his life; and I pray that God, who has called Professor Juma to himself, will comfort his family and grant them the grace and courage to endure the loss.”
On his part National Super Alliance leader Raila Odinga expressed his deep sadness to the late Professor, crediting him for the building of Kenya’s profile across the globe.
“It is with deep sadness that I received the news of the passing of the distinguished Kenyan scholar Prof. Calestous Juma, who helped build the country’s profile across the globe. We pray for and mourn with his family, students and the entire Harvard University fraternity,” Mr Odinga said in a tweet Friday.
Rwanda President Paul Kagame said the late was “a brilliant mind who was dedicated to innovation, education and Africa's prosperity.”
"Condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace,” he said via his official Twitter page.
For his part, Uhuru said Juma is credited for the founding of the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) in Nairobi.
"He served as its Executive Director until 1995, when he left to take up the position of Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal," the president said in a statement to the media.
Several world leaders and institutions, such as Quartz Africa, said Juma will be greatly missed following his contribution in Health Innovation programmes.