Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji dies at 80

Kenyans are mourning following the death of Garissa senator Hon. Yusuf Haji.
At the time of his death, Haji was the Chair of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Taskforce
Haji, 80, died at the Aga Khan University hospital on Monday morning.
According to family members, the senator was flown to Turkey in December 2020 and returned to the country on Saturday night and was admitted to the Aga Khan Hospital.
In September last year, the legislator underwent a five-hour operation at the same hospital after he slipped and dislocated his hip while at his home in Garissa.
Haji was a long time administrator who served in various areas including the vast Rift Valley between 1970 and 1998. He was nominated to Parliament in 2002. In 2007, he was elected to Parliament unopposed as Ijara MP.
From 2008 to 2013, Haji served as the minister of Defense during the Mwai Kibaki era and briefly served as the acting Minister of Internal Security and Provincial Affairs in 2012.
Until his death, Yusuf Haji served as the Chairman of the Senate Security and Foreign Relations Committee.
Mr Haji was the father of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Yusuf Haji. He was also the chairperson of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) task force.
Several leaders have send their condolence messages to the family of the deceased veteran politician
Raila mourned him as  a dedicated patriot and a humble servant whose ‘last great public passion being the Building Bridges Initiative.’
The President eulogised the veteran politician as a dependable Kenyan leader and patriot while Ruto noted that Haji was a gifted politician, modest yet strategic schemer with ground-breaking mediation skills.
His Janazah prayers are set for Monday at 4pm at the South C Mosque and thereafter his burial will be held at the Lang’ata Muslim Cemetery.