President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition Chief Raila Odinga have mourned the death of a renowned Kenyan scholar, theologian and philosopher Prof John Mbiti.
Prof Mbiti died aged 88 while undergoing treatment in Switzerland.
In his condolence message, President Kenyatta prayed to God to grant the family of the late Mbiti fortitude to bear with the loss of their beloved.
“President Kenyatta has sent a message of condolence to the family, relatives and friends of philosopher, scholar, author and Anglican Church minister Dr John Mbiti. The President prayed to God to grant the family of the late Mbiti fortitude to bear with the loss of their beloved,” reads a tweet from statehouse.
In his condolence message, Raila recalled Prof Mbiti’s contribution to Africa’s religious growth.
“His book African Religions and Philosophy was an eye-opener and groundbreaking work. Condolences to his family. May his soul Rest in Peace,” read Raila’s post on twitter.
Prof Mbiti is well known for his publication of African Religions and Philosophy in 1969 that propelled him to fame among religious scholars.
In his book, Prof Mbiti challenged Christian assumption that traditional African religious ideas were “demonic and anti-Christian.”
However, the book hailed as insight to “illiterate Africans” by many also earned him criticism in an equal share from those that held contrary beliefs.
