What President Mwai Kibaki will be remembered for, even in death?

Former President Mwai Kibaki, who passed away on Friday, is undoubtedly one of the best one that Kenya has ever had since independence. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta announced his death at midday. Kibaki has died at the age of 91 years.

Unfortunately Kibaki has died at a time when Kenyans are struggling to make their ends meet as a result of increased cost of living. The Makerere university-trained economist fine-tuned Kenya’s economy overseeing the dramatic increment of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Kibaki inherited a government that had been badly ravaged by ‘years of misrule and ineptitude.’ He chose technocrats and intellectuals to work with in building an all-inclusive country – reducing the gap between the rich and the poor.

His predecessor the late Daniel Arap Moi had gravely ruined the country’s economy by entertaining corruption. Despite waging a serious battle against corruption, the same hounded some members of his cabinet including the then Finance Minister David Mwiraria and Security’s Chris Murungaru. 

The two senior ministers in Kibaki’s regime, and who happened to enjoy cordial relationship with the president, were adversely linked to the anglo-leasing scam.

Mwai Kibaki will be remembered by Kenyans, for a long time, for being the pioneer of free primary education. Having been elected on the platform of change, Kibaki rolled out free and compulsory primary education to all school going children.

Lamu port is the brainchild of Kibaki. The port has assisted to decongest the Mombasa port while offering many job opportunities to Lamu residents.

Apart from free primary education, Kibaki other achievements include the construction of the Thika Super Highway, the establishment of CDF and the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya.

Kibaki’s character

Unlike his successor President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kibaki wasn’t that quick to react over an administrative issue. His principal assistant had the latitude for expression as was once attributed by his first Vice President the late Michael Kijana Wamalwa.

Kibaki was humorous and Kenyans marveled his ‘broken’ Swahili jokes like ‘bure kabisa’, ‘pumbavu’ among others

How Local Dignitaries mourned Kibaki

President Uhuru Kenyatta: “Mwai Kibaki will forever be remembered as a gentleman in Kenyan politics, a brilliant debate.”

Deputy President William Ruto: “A gentleman has rested, but his dream abides.”

Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka: “The late Mwai Kibaki is an iconic father figure in the nation of Kenya; I had the privilege of serving as his Vice President for 5 years.”

Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua: “Former President Mwai Kibaki had a large enough heart to accept that people can differ on principles.”