DISTINGUISHED GUEST SPEECH AT SECOND MWAI KIBAKI MEMORIAL LECTURE

DISTINGUISHED GUEST SPEECH AT SECOND MWAI KIBAKI MEMORIAL LECTURE.

By MAXIMILLA WAFULA & PATRICK KIMANZI 

The County Diary News 

NAIROBI, April 11, 2025  Kenya – The Second Mwai Kibaki Memorial Lecture, held at the Nairobi Serena Hotel, was a poignant reflection on the legacy of Kenya’s third President. Marked by heartfelt tributes and a firm recommitment to democratic ideals, the event brought together dignitaries, family members, and citizens to celebrate the life and leadership of the late President Mwai Emilio Kibaki.

The keynote address was delivered by a distinguished guest — a veteran statesperson and former Vice President who served under President Kibaki. The speaker shared deeply personal memories, tracing decades of professional and political camaraderie with the man they described as “more than a leader — an institution.”

“April 22 is a date embedded in my mind and thoughts,” the speaker began. “It is the day we lost a beloved father of our nation. His Excellency Mwai Emilio Kibaki was a brilliant, selfless, and iconic leader whose legacy continues to shape Kenya.”

Recounting their first encounter in 1985, when Kibaki was Vice President and Minister for Home Affairs and the speaker had just joined Parliament, the keynote painted a vivid picture of Kibaki’s stature. At the time, Kibaki was already widely respected for his role as Finance Minister during the First Republic — a tenure that lasted over 13 years. The international community had taken notice; TIME magazine, in 1974, listed him among the world’s top 100 people with the potential to lead.

“The TIME editors saw in him what even we Kenyans had not yet fully grasped,” the speaker reflected. “It took 28 years, but in 2002, he took the oath of office as President of the Republic of Kenya.”

The address highlighted President Kibaki’s remarkable leadership, especially in the economic sector. Under his guidance, Kenya recorded a historic 7 percent GDP growth, implemented far-reaching tax reforms, and witnessed vast improvements in infrastructure. Yet, Kibaki remained humble and averse to self-praise.

“He wasn’t a micromanager. He empowered his lieutenants, gave them room to perform. He made everyone feel at home,” the speaker noted. “And even in tense or trying moments, he would simply say: ‘Jienjoy’.”

A light-hearted moment came when the speaker recalled efforts to name the Thika Superhighway after Kibaki. “His response was typical: ‘Doesn’t this road already have a name?’” — a line that drew warm laughter from the audience and reaffirmed Kibaki’s disdain for vanity.

The lecture then turned to current affairs, with the speaker issuing a passionate condemnation of a recent incident at the National Drama Festival in Nakuru, where police officers reportedly lobbed teargas at students from Butere Girls High School and members of the press.

Calling it “an egregious assault on democracy,” the speaker said the act violated Kenya’s hard-won constitutional freedoms. “Under Article 33 of our Constitution, every person has the right to freedom of expression. That includes the Butere Girls and their right to perform their play without fear or intimidation. Their artistic expression is protected by law. Article 34 guarantees the freedom and independence of the media.”

The incident, the speaker said, not only insulted the legacy of President Kibaki, who promulgated the Constitution in 2010, but also threatened the very democratic foundations on which modern Kenya is built.

“To the courageous students of Butere Girls: your resolve, even as you sang the National Anthem in the face of riot gear and intimidation, has become our renewed symbol of hope,” the speaker declared. “You are the true guardians of Kenya’s future — bold, unyielding, and principled.”

In closing, the speaker reaffirmed a commitment to uphold Kibaki’s values and protect the Constitution: “Let it be known today, as we honour President Kibaki, that we will defend the Constitution, protect the freedoms of all Kenyans, and we will not be silenced. Not today, not now, not ever.”

The room rose in a standing ovation — a testament to the enduring power of Kibaki’s legacy and the determination of those who walk in his footsteps.

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