The president of Kenya, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, today announced the passing away of his predecessor, Nwai Kibaki, who died at 90.
Kenyatta said, “It is a sad day for us as a country. We have lost a great leader,” Kenyatta said in an address on state television”, and ordered a period of national mourning until sunset on the day Kibaki is to be buried, with all flags to be flown at half-mast.
According to Kenyatta, Kibaki served as Kenya’s third president, from 2002 to 2013 adding, “As a leading figure in Kenya’s post-independence history… Kibaki earned the biding respect and affection of the people of this nation. President Kibaki will forever be remembered as a gentleman in Kenya’s politics. A brilliant debater whose eloquence, wit and charm won the day time and time again.”
Emilio Stanley Nwai Kibaki, born on November 15, 1931 and died on April 21, 2022 is popularly known as Nwai Kibaki. He was a Kenyan politician who served as the third president of Kenya from December 2002 until April 2013.
He had previously served as the fourth vice president for ten years from 1978 to 1988 under President Daniel Arap Moi.
He also held cabinet ministerial positions in the Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi governments, including time as minister for Finance (1969–1981) under Kenyatta, and Minister for Home Affairs (1982–1988) and Minister for Health (1988–1991) under Moi.
Kibaki served as an opposition Member of Parliament from 1992 to 2002. He unsuccessfully vied for the presidency in 1992 and 1997. He served as the leader of the official opposition in Parliament from 1998 to 2002.
In the 2002 presidential election, he was elected as President of Kenya.
