From turnboy to president
Jul 16, 2003
The State visit to Uganda by President Mwai Kibaki completes his circuit of the East African countries after he visited Tanzania a few months back. The visit is timely in bringing the region closer
The State visit to Uganda by President Mwai Kibaki completes his circuit of the East African countries after he visited Tanzania a few months back. The visit is timely in bringing the region closer:
Patrick Luganda examines the political rise of Kibaki over and writes:
President Mwai Kibaki is making his maiden visit to a country to which he has strong historical ties as an undergraduate student and youthful lecturer at the prestigious Makerere University. It was at Makerere that his destiny as a national leader was first revealed.
Winding the clock 50 years back shows Mwai Kibaki as Chairman of the Kenya Students Association. By the time he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, History and Political Science in 1955, he was vice-chairman of Makerere Students Guild. No mean achievement for a student from a neighbouring country
Little did he know that more than two decades later, he would become one of Kenya’s longest serving Vice-Presidents. When the then Vice President, Daniel arap Moi, took over the reins of power after the death of Jomo Kenyatta, it was Mwai who stepped in his shoes. From 1978-1988, Kibaki occupied the Vice-Presidency.
He is a man of humble origins who has risen to glory through sheer self drive and determination. A self made individual with a will to succeed, Emilio Mwai Kibaki was born on November 15, 1931 in Gatuyaini Village, Othaya division, Nyeri, in the Central Province.
The last born of the late Kibaki Githinji and the late Teresia Wanjiku, Mwai went to Gatuyaini village school where he took his early primary education before joining Karima mission school. In 1946, he completed primary six at Mathari School, the present Nyeri High School. It was here that he learnt carpentry, masonry and practical agriculture.
During holidays, Kibaki searched for money to supplement his father’s fees contribution by working as a turn-boy on the Othaya African Bus Union.
He alternated between turn-boy and student as he proceeded with studies at Man’gu High School where he studied between 1947 and 1950. He passed with a maximum of six points in his “O†level examination.
He escaped abandoning school by a stroke of luck. Maybe he would be an army General now or a statistic among fallen soldier. Influenced by the tantalising tales of the World War II veterans in Gatuyani village one holiday, he volunteered to become a soldier.
This was in the final year of O level. His intentions were frozen by a ruling by Walter Coutts, the chief colonial secretary that barred the recruitment of the Kikuyu, Embu and Meru tribes into the army. Mwai is Kikuyu.
Mwai is no stranger to Uganda. The third Kenyan President lived in this country for almost 10 years. Armed with a First Class Honours Degree in Economics in 1955, he was appointed Assistant Sales Manager of Shell. He worked for a year before he enrolled at the London School of economics for a B.Sc in public finance, graduating with a distinction.
He headed back to Makerere in 1958 as as an Assistant Lecturer in the Economics department. By 1960, the political waters in Kenya were swirling and warming as independence peeped around the corner. Together with other vibrant politicians of the time, Mwai was involved in founding the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party in March 1960.
By December 1960, he abandoned the lecture theatre for full time politics as an Executive Officer with KANU. Two years later, he had a go at elective politics and won the Donholm Constituency now Makadara, on a KANU ticket. He was again elected in 1969.
His ministerial appointments started as Minister of Commerce and Industry in 1965 and later as Minister of Finance and Economic Planning where till 1978 when he was appointed Vice President. He was a pillar in the party serving as KANU Vice President.
When multi party politics was introduced, Kibaki plunged into the unknown and founded the Democratic Party in 1991. It was on the DP ticket that he first vied for presidency in the 1992 national elections. He was third after Daniel Moi and Kenneth Matiba.
Five years later, Mwai was again contested on the same ticket. This time round he was second to Moi. The constitution barred Moi from standing for office.
Kibaki who was joined by a flood of politicians dissenting politicians from KANU in the run up to the elections two days after Christmas last year. To ensure victory, the politicians from more than 10 parties opposed to the incumbent president formed the National Alliance of the Rainbow Coalition (NARC).
With this united support, Kibaki made easy pie of Uhuru Kenyatta, the KANU candidate, who came a distant second. On December, 30, 2002, the romp to victory was crowned by the swearing of Mwai Kibaki as the third President of Kenya.
It was a historic swearing in ceremony. Kibaki had been injured in a motor accident at the height of the heated campaigns. There he sat, unable to stand and looking tired. He nursed a dislocated ankle, a broken arm, and a cracked neck. It was in this status that he swore to lead Kenya into a brighter and promising future.
The promise of change started with the appointment of a leaner cabinet with a regional balance. In choosing the new cabinet, detailed consideration was placed on ensuring political continuity of the allied political forces, economic recovery, social justice and fostering of donor relations. It was necessary to bring back foreign aid that was cut in the rule of previous government.
He is married to Lucy Muthoni, the daughter of a church minister. Together they are blessed with four children: Judy Wanjiku, Jimmy Kibaki, David Kagai, and Tony Githinji.
Patrick Luganda examines the political rise of Kibaki over and writes:
President Mwai Kibaki is making his maiden visit to a country to which he has strong historical ties as an undergraduate student and youthful lecturer at the prestigious Makerere University. It was at Makerere that his destiny as a national leader was first revealed.
Winding the clock 50 years back shows Mwai Kibaki as Chairman of the Kenya Students Association. By the time he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, History and Political Science in 1955, he was vice-chairman of Makerere Students Guild. No mean achievement for a student from a neighbouring country
Little did he know that more than two decades later, he would become one of Kenya’s longest serving Vice-Presidents. When the then Vice President, Daniel arap Moi, took over the reins of power after the death of Jomo Kenyatta, it was Mwai who stepped in his shoes. From 1978-1988, Kibaki occupied the Vice-Presidency.
He is a man of humble origins who has risen to glory through sheer self drive and determination. A self made individual with a will to succeed, Emilio Mwai Kibaki was born on November 15, 1931 in Gatuyaini Village, Othaya division, Nyeri, in the Central Province.
The last born of the late Kibaki Githinji and the late Teresia Wanjiku, Mwai went to Gatuyaini village school where he took his early primary education before joining Karima mission school. In 1946, he completed primary six at Mathari School, the present Nyeri High School. It was here that he learnt carpentry, masonry and practical agriculture.
During holidays, Kibaki searched for money to supplement his father’s fees contribution by working as a turn-boy on the Othaya African Bus Union.
He alternated between turn-boy and student as he proceeded with studies at Man’gu High School where he studied between 1947 and 1950. He passed with a maximum of six points in his “O†level examination.
He escaped abandoning school by a stroke of luck. Maybe he would be an army General now or a statistic among fallen soldier. Influenced by the tantalising tales of the World War II veterans in Gatuyani village one holiday, he volunteered to become a soldier.
This was in the final year of O level. His intentions were frozen by a ruling by Walter Coutts, the chief colonial secretary that barred the recruitment of the Kikuyu, Embu and Meru tribes into the army. Mwai is Kikuyu.
Mwai is no stranger to Uganda. The third Kenyan President lived in this country for almost 10 years. Armed with a First Class Honours Degree in Economics in 1955, he was appointed Assistant Sales Manager of Shell. He worked for a year before he enrolled at the London School of economics for a B.Sc in public finance, graduating with a distinction.
He headed back to Makerere in 1958 as as an Assistant Lecturer in the Economics department. By 1960, the political waters in Kenya were swirling and warming as independence peeped around the corner. Together with other vibrant politicians of the time, Mwai was involved in founding the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party in March 1960.
By December 1960, he abandoned the lecture theatre for full time politics as an Executive Officer with KANU. Two years later, he had a go at elective politics and won the Donholm Constituency now Makadara, on a KANU ticket. He was again elected in 1969.
His ministerial appointments started as Minister of Commerce and Industry in 1965 and later as Minister of Finance and Economic Planning where till 1978 when he was appointed Vice President. He was a pillar in the party serving as KANU Vice President.
When multi party politics was introduced, Kibaki plunged into the unknown and founded the Democratic Party in 1991. It was on the DP ticket that he first vied for presidency in the 1992 national elections. He was third after Daniel Moi and Kenneth Matiba.
Five years later, Mwai was again contested on the same ticket. This time round he was second to Moi. The constitution barred Moi from standing for office.
Kibaki who was joined by a flood of politicians dissenting politicians from KANU in the run up to the elections two days after Christmas last year. To ensure victory, the politicians from more than 10 parties opposed to the incumbent president formed the National Alliance of the Rainbow Coalition (NARC).
With this united support, Kibaki made easy pie of Uhuru Kenyatta, the KANU candidate, who came a distant second. On December, 30, 2002, the romp to victory was crowned by the swearing of Mwai Kibaki as the third President of Kenya.
It was a historic swearing in ceremony. Kibaki had been injured in a motor accident at the height of the heated campaigns. There he sat, unable to stand and looking tired. He nursed a dislocated ankle, a broken arm, and a cracked neck. It was in this status that he swore to lead Kenya into a brighter and promising future.
The promise of change started with the appointment of a leaner cabinet with a regional balance. In choosing the new cabinet, detailed consideration was placed on ensuring political continuity of the allied political forces, economic recovery, social justice and fostering of donor relations. It was necessary to bring back foreign aid that was cut in the rule of previous government.
He is married to Lucy Muthoni, the daughter of a church minister. Together they are blessed with four children: Judy Wanjiku, Jimmy Kibaki, David Kagai, and Tony Githinji.