Appreciation

Hon. Professor George Saitoti EGH. MP

Mrs. Margret Saitoti and the entire family of the late Hon. Professor George Saitoti EGH. MP wish to sincerely thank all Kenyans, friends and well-wishers who shared in our sorrow and grief following the tragic untimely death of a beloved husband, father, role model, mentor, community and national leader. Hon Prof George Saitoti met his demise at Kibiku in Ngong through a tragic helicopter crash on Sunday 10th June 2012. Your prayers and messages of condolences and tributes through letters, social media, text messages and visits to our home in Nairobi and Ngong gave us comfort during this time of grief.
 
Special thanks go to His Excellency Hon. Mwai Kibaki CGH, MP, President of the Republic of Kenya for sharing in our grief through his visit to our home and also his presence at the requiem mass at the Holy Family Basilica and attending the actual burial at Professor Saitoti’s home in Enkasiti, Kitengela. We would also like to thank His Excellency the President for honoring and appointing Prof. Saitoti a minister in various ministries and different capacities in government.
 
We further wish to thank the Rt. Honorable the Prime Minister, Hon Raila Odinga, for his visit to our home and his support. To the Vice-President Hon Kalonzo Musyoka thank you for chairing the government funeral committee. We further extend our thanks to the Deputy Prime Ministers Hon Uhuru Kenyatta and Hon Musalia Mudavadi, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon Kenneth Marende, cabinet ministers, assistant ministers, and members of parliament for personally visiting and condoling with us during this heavy moment of grief.
 
We wish to appreciate The Holy Father Pope Benedict, His Highness the Agh Khan, the presidents of governments of the neighboring Eastern African States and South Sudan who sent their official delegation to the funeral. We also thank the retired President Hon Daniel Arap Moi and Dr Jerry Rawlings the former President of Ghana. Furthermore we extend our thanks to members of the Diplomatic Corps who represented their countries at the funeral.
 
Professor Saitoti was a staunch catholic and His Eminence John Cardinal Njue, Bishop John Oballa Owaa of the Ngong Dioceses and the entire Catholic Church deserve special recognition for giving Professor Saitoti a truly catholic send-off by officiating at the requiem mass at Holy Family Basilica and at the funeral service in Kitengela respectively. The choirs at the Holy Family Basilica and at the funeral service at Kitengela were exemplary and deserve our sincere thanks. Our thanks also go to various Church denominations and Choirs who came to pray with us at our home. We received comfort and solace through their hymns and songs.
 
We give special commendation to the Permanent Secretary, Head of the Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Mr. Francis Kimemia, Permanent Secretary Internal Security and Provincial Administration Mr. Mutea Iringo and the funeral committee at our home under the chairmanship of Hon. David Sankori for the excellent way in which they conducted and coordinated burial arrangement.
 
Special thanks go to the media for covering and highlighting the event.
 
To the people of Kadjiado North, we are humbled in offering our thanks for the support, love and honour you gave the late Hon. Prof George Saitoti by electing him to Parliament continuously for a period of nearly three decades, and giving him a chance during these years to serve you and make a difference in your lives.
 
Above all we thank our Almighty and Merciful God for giving us Prof Saitoti and granting him an opportunity to live an illustrious life here on earth and eternal rest in Heaven.
 
To all of you who participated in one way or another or grieved with us, please accept our gratitude as we may not be able to thank each one of you individually.

May our Loving and Caring God Rest Prof. George Saitoti’s soul in eternal peace.