NAIROBI, Kenya — Daniel arap Moi, who ruled Kenya with an iron fist for two decades as the East African country’s second president, has died at the age of 95.

His death was announced by the office of the current president Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday.

“It is with profound sadness and sorrow that I announce the passing of a Great African Statesman, H.E. Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, the Second President of the Republic of Kenya,” the announcement said.

“His Excellency the Former President passed on at the Nairobi Hospital on the early morning of this 4th February, 2020, in the presence of his family,” it said.

Moi was in office from 1978 to 2002, a time that was marked by the centralization of power, corruption and allegations of human rights abuse.

The former British colony was a one-party state during much of his rule.

Moi served as vice president under Kenya’s first post-independence president, Jomo Kenyatta, before taking over the top post.

The press secretary of the current president Lee Njiru told local TV channel CitizenTV that Moi had been in hospital for a while.

“He has been hospitalized from last year. I have seen his decline,” he said to the channel.

“God has declared his will, and we have to abide by it.”