Jomo Kenyatta honoured as Uhuru tours Cuba
Kenya’s founding father, the late President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, has been honoured in Cuba as a towering figure in the African and Caribbean liberation movement.
A bust of the founding father was unveiled on Thursday at the Park of African Heroes in Cuba at a ceremony attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta and several African-Caribbean diplomats representing their countries in Cuba.
Cuban leadership said the unveiling of the bust of the late President Kenyatta at the Park of African Heroes in Havana was significant as it goes a long way in demonstrating the rich history Kenya and Cuba have in terms of Liberation struggles.
The park was built for heroes of the liberation struggle by African countries for their independence from colonial powers.
Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s bust is the 17th of the African Heroes on display at the Park.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony, President Kenyatta thanked the people of Cuba for their selfless and persistent solidarity with the African people.
LIBERATION STRUGGLE
“Africa will forever cherish its relationship with Cuba. Together we will continue to forge mutually beneficial partnerships for the prosperity of our peoples and nations,” said the President.
He pointed out that the Cuban people held strongly to the deep conviction that their freedom was inextricably linked to the freedom of Africa.
He said Kenya would not take for granted honour granted to its founding father, as the Park recognizes and celebrates the huge contributions of Africa heroes made in the liberation struggle for Africa.
“It is worth noting that during the Cuban revolutionary war, Fidel Castro named one of the Brigades the ‘Mau Mau’ in honour of the freedom fighters in Kenya,” said President Kenyatta.
The Cuban Minister for Culture Abel Prieto termed the late Kenyan founding father as an icon whose example of heroism inspired many to take up arms against the colonial masters.
“Kenya’s rich liberation struggle story became a big inspiration to the Cubans resistance against imperialism,” said the Cuban Cultural Minister.