Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki’s death marks the end of an era for one of the Kenya’s most suave politicians, whose story is part of the country’s economic history.
Many Kenyans admired his efforts to increase Kenya’s economic prosperity, including the implementation of free basic education and infrastructure development.
Kibaki, an economist whose tenure as Finance Minister in the 1970s is widely regarded as exemplary, as president he did so much to repair the economic damage caused by his predecessor Daniel Moi, a task fraught with challenges including the aftermath of the Nyayo Era (Moi Presidency), western donor fatigue, the President’s ill health during his first term, political tension culminating in the break-up of the NARC coalition, post-election violence in 2007–2008.
The former President was born in Gatuyaini village, Nyeri County, on November 15, 1931.
In 1955, he attended Makerere University in Uganda, and in 1959, he attended the London School of Economics.
He later worked as a teacher before being involved in the Kenyan struggle. He was elected to the National Assembly as a member of the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party after Kenya gained independence in 1963.
Kibaki shifted his political headquarters from Nairobi to his rural birthplace, Othaya, in 1974, when he faced significant fight for his Donholm Constituency seat from an opponent Jael Mbogo, whom he had only narrowly and controversially defeated for the seat in the 1969 elections.
NARC defeated the reigning KANU in parliamentary and presidential elections at the time, ending the ruling party’s dominance in Kenya since independence.
Kibaki campaigned on a promise to end government corruption, which had wrecked the country’s economy and led to the withdrawal of international aid.
His attempts to pass anti-corruption legislation were generally unsuccessful, despite the fact that he established anti-corruption courts. Legislators received substantial raises in 2003, which they claimed would deter bribe-taking.
Kibaki forged a new coalition, The Party of National Union (PNU), in preparation for the December 2007 elections, which, shockingly, included KANU. Several candidates ran in Kenya’s presidential election, which was one of the most closely contested in the country’s history and saw a record-high voter turnout.
Odinga quickly contested the result, and international observers questioned the final results’ authenticity.
Protests broke out across the country, and some of Kenya’s many ethnic groups were involved in horrendous acts of violence.
Kibaki and Odinga signed a power-sharing agreement on February 28, 2008, negotiated by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who is now the African Union Chairman.
The plan called for the formation of a coalition government between the PNU and the ODM, as well as the creation of many new roles, with Kibaki remaining president and Odinga taking over the newly constituted Prime Ministership.
Despite the agreement, conflicts arose regarding the distribution of positions. The coalition, on the other hand, was frequently tense after a few.
The new constitution, which featured a devolution of power and was endorsed by both Kibaki and Odinga, was designed to address the origins of ethnic and political tensions that had fuelled the violence that followed the December 2007 election. It was adopted by voters in a referendum, and on August 27, 2010, Kibaki signed it into law.
Kibaki stepped down as president in April 2013 after being barred by the Constitution from serving a third term. He was followed by Uhuru Kenyatta, the current President, who had defeated Odinga in the 2013 Presidential elections.
In retirement, and dogged by ill health, Kibaki stayed away from national politics, hardly commenting and hardly showing interest.