Mwai Kibaki
1931 – 2022 Kenyan economist, lecturer, Finance Minister, Vice President of Kenya, President of Kenya 2002-2013
Kenyan economist and politician, third President of Kenya from 2002 to 2013, former Finance Minister, Vice President under Daniel arap Moi, opposition leader and central figure in the post-Moi transition.
- Religion
- Catholic
- Affiliations
- KANU; Democratic Party; NARC; PNU
Born in Gatuyaini, Othaya, Mwai Kibaki moved through Catholic mission schooling, Mangu High School, Makerere and the London School of Economics before teaching economics at Makerere. He joined KANU as executive officer in 1960, entered Parliament in 1963, served in economic ministries under Jomo Kenyatta, became Moi vice president in 1978, left KANU in 1991 to form the Democratic Party, and won the presidency through NARC in 2002. His presidency is remembered for economic recovery, free primary education, Vision 2030 and the 2010 Constitution, but also for Anglo Leasing, the 2005 NARC split and the disputed 2007 election followed by post-election violence.
Connections
- rival of Daniel arap Moi — Kibaki served under Moi, then left KANU and eventually ended Moi-era KANU rule.
- associate of John Githongo — John Githongo served in Kibaki anti-corruption apparatus and exposed Anglo-Leasing claims.
- successor of Jomo Kenyatta — Kibaki served in Kenyatta governments before becoming a later president of Kenya.
- associate of Kofi Annan — Kofi Annan mediated the settlement that preserved Kibaki presidency and created the Grand Coalition.
- family of Lucy Kibaki — Lucy Muthoni Kibaki was Mwai Kibaki spouse and First Lady during his presidency.
- rival of Raila Odinga — Raila Odinga became Kibaki main opponent in 2007 and later prime minister in the Grand Coalition.
- rival of Uhuru Kenyatta — Kibaki defeated Uhuru in 2002 and handed power to him in 2013.
- successor of Uhuru Kenyatta — Uhuru Kenyatta lost to Kibaki in 2002 and succeeded him as president in 2013.
In the timeline
- 1931 Mwai Kibaki is born in Gatuyaini, Othaya subject
- 1939 Kibaki starts mission schooling in colonial Nyeri subject
- 1944 Kibaki learns masonry and carpentry at Mathari Boarding School subject
- 1947 Kibaki joins Mangu High School subject
- 1951 Kibaki studies economics at Makerere subject
- 1958 Kibaki trains at the London School of Economics subject
- 1958 Kibaki teaches economics at Makerere subject
- 1960 Kibaki joins KANU as executive officer subject
- 1961 Mwai Kibaki marries Lucy Muthoni subject
- 1963 Kibaki enters Parliament for Donholm subject
- 1966 Kibaki becomes Minister for Commerce and Industry subject
- 1969 Kibaki becomes Finance Minister subject
- 1978 Moi appoints Kibaki Vice President subject
- 1983 Moi moves Kibaki from Finance to Home Affairs subject
- 1988 Kibaki is dropped as Vice President and moved to Health subject
- 1991 Kibaki resigns from KANU and launches the Democratic Party subject
- 1992 FORD forms then fractures ahead of the vote subject
- 1992 Kibaki loses the 1992 presidential election subject
- 1997 Kibaki becomes Leader of the Official Opposition subject
- 2002 Kibaki ends KANU rule winner
- 2002 KANU loses power and Moi steps down mentioned
- 2002 NARC nominates Kibaki after the Kibaki Tosha deal subject
- 2002 Kibaki is injured during the 2002 campaign subject
- 2002 Uhuru loses the 2002 presidential election to Kibaki winner
- 2003 Kenya introduces Free Primary Education subject
- 2003 Ndung'u Commission appointed on illegal land allocation subject
- 2003 Goldenberg Commission of inquiry appointed subject
- 2003 Mau Mau Legalized at Last mentioned
- 2003 Kibaki lifts the colonial ban on Mau Mau subject
- 2004 Ndung'u Commission report presented to Kibaki subject
- 2004 Anglo-Leasing: paying for phantom contracts subject
- 2005 Kibaki loses the 2005 constitutional referendum subject
- 2007 Kenya's 2007 general election and presidential vote subject
- 2007 Disputed election triggers Kenya's post-election violence subject
- 2007 Kibaki forms PNU for his second-term campaign subject
- 2008 Kenya launches Vision 2030 subject
- 2008 Waki Commission report handed to Kibaki and Odinga subject
- 2008 National Accord ends the crisis and calls for a truth commission subject
- 2008 Uhuru moves from opposition leader to Kibaki ally president
- 2010 The 2010 constitution and devolution subject
- 2013 Kibaki hands over power to Uhuru Kenyatta outgoing president
- 2016 Kibaki becomes UNESCO Special Envoy for Water in Africa subject
- 2022 Mwai Kibaki dies and is buried in Othaya subject