Editor's Review

The president was received by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula.

President William Ruto is in Rome, Italy, to join other world leaders in sending off the late Pope Francis.

Ruto was received by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula.

The president flew to the European country coming from China, where he was on a state visit.

"Arrived in Rome, Italy, to join other world leaders and Catholic faithful in the funeral of Pope Francis," he said on X.

President William Ruto with National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula in Rome, Italy.

The Pope, who died on Monday, April 21, will be laid to rest in Vatican City.

He died aged 88 in his residence at the Casa Santa Marta within the Vatican.

His death came after a long battle with a cerebral stroke, which had led to a coma and irreversible cardiovascular collapse.

His body lay in state at St Peter's Square for three days.

The Vatican revealed that Pope Francis requested to be buried at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

The Pope instructed that his burial place be simple and without any decorations, also requesting that the word "Franciscus" be inscribed on the tomb.

"The cost of preparing the burial will be covered by a sum provided by a benefactor, which I have arranged to be transferred to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. I have given the necessary instructions regarding this to Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, Extraordinary Commissioner of the Liberian Basilica," he said before his death.

Other world leaders expected at the Pope's funeral mass include Italy's President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President Donald Trump of the United States, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and President Emmanuel Macron of France.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula.

Earlier, Wetang'ula had announced that he would represent Ruto at the funeral, as the president was still in China for his state tour.

"President William Ruto is out in China; he has nominated and instructed me to represent him at the burial of the Pope on Saturday. I'll be leaving tonight for Rome to go and join other world leaders in sending off our Pope," the speaker said on Thursday, April 24, while speaking at the Apostolic Nunciature in Nairobi, where he honoured the Pope.