President William Ruto has mourned the death of billionaire businessman and the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims The Aga Khan.
In a statement on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, moments after the death of the spiritual leader was made public, Ruto termed him as an extraordinary leader who went beyond what seemed impossible to help the vulnerable.
“We are saddened by the passing of The Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims. He was an extraordinary leader who went beyond what seemed impossible to help the vulnerable — through his charities in hospitals and schools. Our thoughts are with the family of His Highness and the wider Ismaili community,” Ruto stated.
The Aga Khan’s death
The Aga Khan died at the age of 88 according to an announcement made by his charity, the Aga Khan Development Network, on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.
Prince Karim Aga Khan was the 49th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims, who traced his lineage directly to the Prophet Muhammad.
He “passed away peacefully” in Lisbon, Portugal, surrounded by his family, his charity said in a statement on social media.
Born in Switzerland, he had British citizenship and lived in a chateau in France.
The Aga Khan Development Network said it offered its “condolences to the family of His Highness and to the Ismaili community worldwide”.
“We continue to work with our partners to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities across the world, as they wished, irrespective of their religious affiliations or origins,” it added.
The Ismailis, a Muslim sect, have a worldwide population of about 15 million, including 500,000 in Pakistan. There are also large populations in India, Afghanistan and Africa.
Prince Karim Aga Khan succeeded his grandfather as imam of the Ismaili Muslims in 1957 at the age of 20.
The prince had an estimated fortune of $1bn (£801m) in 2008, according to Forbes magazine. His inherited wealth was boosted by numerous business interests, including horse breeding.
Additional reporting by the BBC.
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