1 month ago
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A British man has died in a hit-and-run incident involving the Kenyan president’s motorcade.
Edgar Riches, 79, a charity fundraiser, had been visiting relatives in the country when he was fatally struck on a road in Nairobi on Thursday.
The driver of a support vehicle that was travelling at the rear of President William Ruto’s convoy has been arrested.
Police say Ruto’s car had already passed ahead when Mr Riches was hit.
Mr Riches, a former banker originally from Poole, Dorset, had spent the past 35 years volunteering with Catholic aid charity CAFOD.
CAFOD said he ‘hundreds of thousands of pounds’ over the years for projects in Africa and in developing countries elsewhere.
The 79-year-old spent his own savings to build a school in Kenya, The Telegraph reported.
In 2019, he received a papal blessing from Pope Francis for his fundraising work.
Ann Stribley, president of Poole Conservative Association, where Mr Riches was a member, described him as ‘incredibly generous’ and ‘kind’.
‘He was private, quiet person but incredibly generous and if he said he was going to do something, he always did it,’ she told the BBC.
‘There’s a total sense of shock and loss. He will be greatly missed. I shall remember him as a kind, quiet and thoughtful, always pleasant, individual.
‘He was a huge benefit to the association for many years and we will be lucky to see his like again.’
The incident sparked outrage on social media, where many Kenyans questioned why the motorcade was going so fast along a busy road.
Authorities have said the motorcade is driven at high speeds for security reasons.
The driver of the government building has been released on bail, according to Kenyan police.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Kenya, and are in contact with the local authorities.’
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