NAIROBI, KENYA – Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, in a moment of candid vulnerability, has publicly acknowledged that he is contending with a significant personal health challenge. The disclosure came on Friday, October 31, 2025, during an emotional eulogy for his close friend and veteran banker, Frank Marangu Ireri, who succumbed to cancer.

Speaking at the Karura Community Chapel in Nairobi, Mr. Kenyatta did not specify the nature of his illness but drew a direct parallel between his struggles and the battle his friend fought. Mr. Ireri, the former Managing Director of Housing Finance (HF) Group, died on October 26, 2025, at the age of 63 after a long illness with cancer.

“I don’t know whether I should be talking about this, but these are realities of life—health or otherwise,” Mr. Kenyatta began, his tone somber. “For the better part of last year and this year, he (Frank) was very encouraging about some of the challenges we were going through. He had more experience than some of us and always guided us on how to face challenges in life, health, and otherwise.”

The former Head of State credited Mr. Ireri with providing crucial emotional support and counsel. “I will miss his counsel. He really held our hands and told us not to worry—that this thing will come to pass; it will go,” Kenyatta shared. His remarks appeared to confirm long-running, but unverified, public speculation about his health following a period of reduced public appearances.

In a message of resilience, the former president vowed to persevere. “The reason Frank is lying here is because it is his time. Those of us who have those challenges will continue fighting with them, but equally, when it is God’s time, we shall join him and be thankful for the life that we lived,” he stated.

A National Conversation

The revelation has ignited widespread discussion across Kenya, with citizens and leaders taking to social media to express sympathy, offer prayers, and praise the former president’s courage. Professor Makau Mutua commended the former president's openness, stating on Saturday, November 1, 2025, “I was very moved by the candor with which former President Uhuru Kenyatta spoke about the fragility of the human body and his own health. Let's wish him full strength and a long life.”

The disclosure is seen by analysts as a significant moment in Kenyan public life, where the health of leaders has historically been a closely guarded secret. By speaking openly, Mr. Kenyatta has humanized his post-presidency and contributed to destigmatizing serious health conditions, encouraging a more empathetic public discourse. This follows a period where his aides had previously dismissed social media reports about his health as fictional.

Tribute to a Visionary Banker

Mr. Kenyatta’s personal disclosure was woven into a heartfelt tribute to Frank Ireri, a transformative figure in Kenya’s financial sector. Appointed Managing Director of Housing Finance in 2006, Ireri was credited with steering the institution from a niche mortgage lender into a diversified financial services group. He was remembered as a disciplined and visionary leader committed to expanding home ownership for Kenyans. Mr. Ireri’s career also included senior roles at Citibank and Barclays Bank of Kenya, and he served on several corporate boards, including Centum Real Estate.

The Broader Context of Cancer in Kenya

The backdrop to this personal story is the growing public health crisis of cancer in Kenya. The disease is the third leading cause of death in the country, after infectious and cardiovascular diseases. According to 2022 data from the Ministry of Health and Globocan, Kenya registers over 44,000 new cancer cases and nearly 30,000 deaths annually. The most common cancers include breast, cervical, prostate, and esophageal cancer.

Health experts consistently point to challenges such as low public awareness, late diagnosis, and the high cost of treatment as major barriers to effective cancer control in the country. Mr. Kenyatta’s public encouragement for patients to remain hopeful, stating “cancer will one day also go,” resonates deeply within this national context.

While no official statement has been released from the former president's office detailing his specific condition, his message of faith and perseverance has been widely embraced, marking a poignant moment of shared humanity between a leader and the nation.