Kenya’s founding father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta has been honoured in Cuba for his resilience in African and Caribbean liberation movement.
A towering bust of Kenya’s founding father was on Thursday unveiled at the Park of African Heroes in Cuba in a ceremony attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Cuban leadership according to Uhuru’s press unit, PCSU, noted that the statue of Mzee Kenyatta in Cuba signified the rich history Kenya and Cuba have in terms of liberation struggles.
Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s bust is the 17th at the African Heroes Park in Cuba.
Cuban Minister for Culture Abel Prieto praised Kenyatta terming him an icon whose set a precedent of heroism and 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,” he said.
On his part, Uhuru thanked the Cuban people for their unwavering solidarity with Africans.
“I take this opportunity to thank you for your solidarity and comradeship in the African liberation movements against colonialism, settler imperialism and apartheid,” said President Uhuru.
“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,” he added.
He said Kenyan deeply appreciated the noble gesture of Cubans recognizing the role Mzee Kenyatta played in liberating Kenyans from the yoke of British rule.
“In honour of our founding fathers, Kenya and Cuba will continue strengthening relations through the principled development of human relationships based on mutual respect.”
Uhuru remarked that Kenya-Cuba ties inspire a new generation of African-Carribean leaders.
“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,” added the President according to PSCU.