Former Football Kenya Federation president Sam Nyamweya has mourned former Confederation of African Football president Issa Hayatou.
In a statement on Friday, Nyamweya said Hayatou will go down in history as the man who played a significant role in the development of African football.
He went on to say that it was under his leadership that he played a pivotal role in bringing the World Cup to Africa for the first time, in 2010/
"During his leadership, we saw Cameroon become the first African country to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 1990.
"Also, it was during his time as president that Africa gained more slots in the World Cup. Thanks to Hayatou, African football is today respected in the world," Nyamweya said.
Nyamweya said in all their interactions, he always passionately talked of taking African football to a higher level.
He described Hayatou as a friend to Kenyans.
The former FKF boss said he allowed Kenya to host the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations which unfortunately the country could not host and the Africa Nations Champions (CHAN) which the country could not host as well.
"Hayatou’s loss is not only big to his family but to Kenyan, African and World football.
"On behalf of Kenyan football fraternity and on my behalf, I send my deep felt condolences. I have lost a personal friend," Nyamweya said.
Hayatou led CAF from 1988 to 2017 .
His death was announced by CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe.
“I express my deepest personal condolences and the condolences of the 54 CAF Member Associations, on the passing of CAF former President, President Issa Hayatou; to his family, the Fédération Camerounaise de Football, its President Samuel Eto’o and the people of Cameroon.
"CAF and African Football will forever be grateful to President Hayatou for his enormous and far-reaching contributions, over many years to the development and growth of football in Africa. He will forever live in our hearts and minds,” Motsepe said in a statement.
Motsepe has requested that the CAF flag and the flags of all CAF Member Associations fly at half-mast for five days, until August 13, 2024.
