NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 21 — Senegalese President Diomaye Faye on Tuesday held bilateral talks with President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi, a day after gracing Kenya’s Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kitui County as the chief guest.
State House Press Office shared a live feed of Faye arriving for talks with Ruto where the two were expected to discuss mutual interests including trade opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
President Faye, in Kenya for a two-day official visit, attended Monday’s Mashujaa Day celebrations at Ithookwe Stadium in Kitui, where he joined thousands of Kenyans in honouring national heroes.
He paid tribute to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, whose state burial took place on Sunday in Bondo, Siaya County.
Speaking during the ceremony, President Faye expressed heartfelt condolences to the people of Kenya and to the Odinga family following Raila’s death on October 15 while undergoing treatment in India.
“I take this opportunity to renew the heartfelt condolences of the people of Senegal to the brotherly people of Kenya on the passing of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga,” he said.
“I express my deep compassion to President Ruto, to his family, and to the people of Kenya. May his soul rest in peace,” he added.
Preserving legacies
President Faye also thanked President Ruto for the invitation to attend Mashujaa Day, describing it as a reflection of the deepening and strengthening of bilateral relations between Kenya and Senegal.
He underscored the importance of celebrating Africa’s freedom fighters and preserving their legacies through education, monuments, and research centres.
“I am here for the duty of remembrance because our heroes deserve respect, honour, and admiration,” he said.
“The sons and daughters of Africa must be celebrated because it is an educational tool for the transmission of our values.”
Faye’s message echoed the broader Mashujaa Day 2025 theme, “Innovating for Africa’s Future,” which highlighted the role of innovation, youth, and shared history in shaping Africa’s next chapter.
The celebrations, attended by Mozambique’s Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Levy, took place amid a seven-day national mourning period following Raila Odinga’s passing.
Levy joined Faye in mourning Raila, hailing him as a “true nationalist whose voice will continue to resonate across generations.”