His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, has been bestowed Kenya’s highest medal of honour, the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (C.G.H.), by President William Ruto.
The ceremony took place on Tuesday morning at State House, where the two leaders held bilateral talks focused on strengthening existing partnerships and exploring new areas of cooperation aimed at positively impacting millions of lives.
The President congratulated the Prince on assuming the leadership of the Shia Ismaili Imamat and on being awarded Kenya’s highest civilian honour.
Prince Rahim jetted into the country Monday evening, marking his first official trip to Kenya since he assumed leadership of the Ismaili community following the passing of his father, the late His Highness Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV, in February 2025.
The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs highlighted that the visit is at the invitation of President William Ruto and underscores the shared commitment to strengthening ties between Kenya and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
President Ruto hailed the close ties with the Ismaili Imamat, which have fostered strong collaboration in critical areas such as healthcare, education, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation.
“This partnership has delivered health facilities that serve over 900,000 patients annually, supported nearly 1,000 public schools, and facilitated the planting of 1.5 million trees in Kenya over the past three years”, he stated.
The President said he looked forward to expanding the cooperation in the Affordable Housing Programme, which will provide safe homes and create thousands of jobs, as well as in the Nairobi River Regeneration through the Climate WorX initiative, which already engages 40,000 Kenyans in restoring ecosystems and renewing our capital city.
Thereafter, a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed to provide a framework for the recognition of the Ismaili Imamat as a legal ossify.
This entity will represent the Office of the Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, established in accordance with the applicable customary law of hereditary succession of the Shia Ismaili Imams with the capacity to engage in international relations with Kenya.
A pact on general cooperation, which will provide the framework for bilateral cooperation in environmental conservation, urban rehabilitation and cultural heritage preservation, was reached
His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V is accompanied by his sister Princess Zahra Aga Khan, a member of the AKDN Board of Directors, who was awarded the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (E.G.H.) for her lifelong service to health, education, and social development.
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