Kenya’s Third President Mwai Kibaki Dies At 90

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr, 22 – Kenya’s third president Mwai Kibaki is dead.

The sad news was announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta during a state of the nation address on Friday from State House Nairobi.

“It is my sorrowful duty to announce to the Nation the passing on of H.E. Emilio Mwai Kibaki, the Third President of the Republic of Kenya. H.EMwai Kibaki lived a dedicated life of public service. We salute a notable father figure in the chronicles of our Nation. A leader who strove so hard and accomplished so much for his country. A Nation he so deeply cherished and served with commitment and an unbending will to improve the lives of our people,” said President Kenyatta.

Kenyatta hailed Kibaki as a true, liberator and patriot who emphasized service to the nation throughout his public and even private life.

“As a leading figure in Kenya’s post-independence history, Mwai Kibaki earned the abiding respect and affection of the people of this Nation and other nations throughout the world. President Kibaki will be forever remembered as the gentleman of Kenyan Politics, a brilliant debater; whose eloquence, wit, and charm won the day, time and-time again. His contributions in the Ministry of Finance and as Vice President saw Kenya’s economy grow steadily, fueled by a commodities boom, and fiscal and monetary policies that were the backbone of his economic philosophy,”

In honor of the late president’s life, president Kenyatta has ordered and directed Kenyans to observe a period of national mourning from Friday until sunset on the day of his interment.

Kibaki will also be accorded a state funeral with full military honors and protocols.

“That the Flag of the Republic of Kenya shall be flown at half-mast at State House and all Kenyan Diplomatic Missions, Public Buildings and Public Grounds, all Military Bases, Posts, and Stations, on all Naval Vessels of the Republic of Kenya, and elsewhere throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Kenya; from today until sunset on the day of his interment,” said Kenyatta.

“That the President, the Deputy-President, the Chief Justice, Cabinet Secretaries, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Speaker of the Senate, Kenya’s Diplomats abroad and whomsoever else is so authorized by law, shall not fly the national flag on their official motorcade from today until sunset on the day of his interment,”

Kibaki had served as the fourth vice president of Kenya for 10 years from 1978 to 1988 under President Daniel Arap Moi.

He also held cabinet ministerial positions in the Kenyatta and Moi governments, including time as minister for Finance (1969–1981) under Kenyatta, 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.