Kiereini memorial service held on his 90th birthday

Friends and family including former Attorney General Charles Njonjo follow church proceedings during the memorial service of the late Jeremiah Gitau Kierini at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi on July 9, 2019.

Family and friends gathered at All Saints Cathedral on Tuesday, July 9, to pay tribute to Jeremiah Kiereini-one of Kenya's longest-serving public servant who died more than two months ago.

While Kiereini died on May 13 and was cremated just two days later, the family opted to hold his memorial service on his July 9-his 90th birthday.

Many Kenyans knew Kiereini as a no-nonsense government official who transformed the public service drastically in his heydays as the head of public service and later as an astute businessman who amassed enormous wealth.

Almost two months after he was cremated, tributes continued to pour for the man whose family and friends described the epitome of patriotism and a stickler for details.

His son, Douglas Kiereini, described how his father would not stand improper dressing and had a distaste for people who could not keep time.

"Today we celebrate the final curtain call of a great and loving man,” said Douglas.

Douglas described Kiereini as a loving and ever-present father who ensured his children got the finest education, even as he took them on trips locally and abroad.

“You taught us that being in possession of privilege carried with it responsibility and that we should be judged by a higher standard than everyone else,” he said.

Kiereini's grandchildren remembered him as a doting grandfather.

“Guka (Grandfather) never missed an important milestone in our lives, whether it was birthdays, baptism ceremonies, weddings, you name it. He was there,” said Njeri Kiereini.

She reminisced how Kireini attended her 21st birthday ceremony at the Carnivore.

In a tribute read by Attorney General Kihara Kariuki, President Uhuru Kenyatta acknowledged Kiereini's role in building Kenya's military after independence.

“It was during his time as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defense that he meticulously oversaw the modernisation of our military to become one of the best in Africa and in the world at large,” said Uhuru.

Former President Daniel Moi, in a speech read by Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, expressed his sorrow over the loss of Kiereini. He described the former Head of the Civil Service as a close friend who he had taken to calling ‘Jerry’.

“The passing on of Mr Jeremiah Kiereini greatly saddened me. I felt a profound sense of loss and a void which I admit has been difficult to overcome,” stated Moi.

Moi said his friendship with Kiereini stretched for 50 years, through their years in government and and after, recounting how the former PS would sign off his letters with "Your obedient servant."

“Jerry was my personal friend. Even after retirement, together with a couple of friends, we would meet regularly for dinner in different places. I’ll miss our dear friendship immensely. Fare thee well, Jerry,” said Moi.

His son, Gideon, described Kiereini as his role model

“I admired Mr Kiereini hugely. I admired how his Christian conviction was never divorced from his public service; the two to him were inseparable. And above all, he was an honourable man,” said Gideon.

“Unlike his wonderful three-piece pin-stripe suits, honour never goes out of style. He brought amazing acumen and yet maintained his honour. He had a huge personal influence on me,” said the Senator.

Gideon described the heavy toll the loss of two of Kiereini’s children had on him, calling it a double tragedy that the former head of the civil service never recovered from.

“After the deaths of his beloved Mburu and Githae, a piece of him died with both of them, and I don’t believe he ever recovered from that double tragedy. Indeed, which father ever could?” he said.

Kiereini's friend, former Attorney General Charles Njonjo, recalled the former PS stood by him during his tribulations.

 “I remember the night we heard on the radio that a judicial inquiry had been set up to investigate me. I needed to see you. You were never one to take unnecessary risks but you agreed to meet me under the cover of darkness at a trusted friend’s house,” he said in a tribute read by his daughter, Mary Njonjo.

Njonjo recounted how he had to crouch in the back seat of a car, hidden under a blanket, as Kiereini feared he (Njonjo) was being followed.