The day Mwai Kibaki's son hinted that ex-president was in his last days

A section of the Kibaki family. [File, Standard]

Mid-January this year, I had breakfast with former President Mwai Kibaki’s elder son Jimmy. We were to talk about politics of the day and the stand of a political outfit he had joined which goes by the name The Young Democrats (TND).

But - as you would expect - we could not avoid talking about his dad, Emilio Stanley Mwai wa Kibaki. I asked him how it was to be born and brought up by a father who was a great public figure. Jimmy was born in 1964 when his father was assistant minister, later full Cabinet minister, vice president and president.

He told me that much as his father was all that, at home he was like any other father – indeed in the conversation Jimmy used the word dad not father. “At home dad was dad not holder of any public title”,  he told me. He gave me an example when one evening he visited his dad at State House accompanied by his (Jimmy) young son.

As the president saw them off, the young boy saw the sprawling State House garden and asked his grandfather (guuka) whether next time he could come with his autocross race car and drive around. “Oh yes, come and drive it here and even teach me how to do it,” the president replied. It was typical guuka talking to a grandson.

Jimmy also told me that his dad never discussed politics or government matters at home and never allowed any of his guests to do that in his house. When it was a must they discuss such, he would take his guest to a corner behind the house. Another thing Jimmy told me is that his dad never carried any paper-work home and did not entertain telephone calls to discuss such, unless it was an emergency.

Premonition

Then I asked Jimmy how his father was in retirement and the state of his health. He made a face and took a pause before answering. To me, that was enough message that all was not well. He told me that his dad was well, considering that he had just clocked 90 – on November 15 last year. But he quickly added that all was not well as expected of a person in the 90s. He tellingly said: “Well, maybe dad may not be with us much longer but we thank God to have come this far”. Jimmy or I did not know how “much longer” it would be until it happened yesterday.

In farewell to our departed president, allow me to share once again moments I came face-to-face with him and the impressions formed.

I saw the self-effacing side of Mzee Kibaki one day in 1996. I had gone to see a friend at Ambank House on University Way when a tall dark man walked in alone. Right away I could tell the man was Mwai Kibaki, then leader of the opposition party DP. Nobody else - including the office receptionist - recognised who he was. He patiently waited for the receptionist to finish with the person she was talking to then put in his request: “Good morning. My name is Mwai. May I see John.” The person Kibaki had gone to see was the CEO of the company, one Mr John Murenga. Kibaki patiently stood and waited to be ushered in.

Drink only

You may have heard the story that when relaxing with friends at Muthaiga Golf Club and elsewhere, Kibaki never entertained talk on official matters or politics. If you brought such talk, he would quickly point to a Tusker bottle where it is printed “Beer Only” which was his way of saying we came here to relax over a drink, not anything else!

I saw that side of Kibaki one day during campaigns ahead of 1997 General Election. I was with friends at Blue Post Hotel on Thika Road when I bumped into an acquaintance who is retired senior military officer. He held me by hand and insisted that I have a drink with him and touch base. We settled at a far table where he ordered doubles of small green bottles. He told me he was there to meet a friend. Kibaki walked in escorted by an aide. “Meet my friend Kamau” I was introduced. “I am Mwai” Kibaki replied and gestured to me to resume my seat. I excused myself to go but he told me to feel free and sit with them. He sat with us for almost an hour discussing with his friend about their livestock and nothing else. He talked of some breed of sheep he had imported from South Africa and encouraged his friend to try it as well. It was surprising he would not mention a word on politics, yet it was a campaign season where he was the leading opposition candidate. I asked my friend how come Kibaki did not talk politics. He laughed and said: “That is Kibaki for you. He knows when to be a politician and when to live his other life away from politics!”

Suffer no fools

Kibaki also was politely dismissive and suffered no fools. I covered the launch of the still-born locally assembled Nyayo Pioneer car by President Moi at Kasarani Stadium in 1991. One of the cars did not start when the president switched on the ignition key. As journalists mingled with VIPs who were cheering the president, I overheard Kibaki, then a Cabinet minister, whisper: “It is a fake!”

At another time, Kibaki was speaking in the National Assembly regarding adult education programme when a member interrupted him. When he resumed his remarks he ignored whatever the MP had said and continued: “Mr Speaker Sir, now you can appreciate why adult literacy will be important even in this House!” Another time a tipsy MP was bragging about how educated his children were as Kibaki relaxed with friends at Thompson Falls Lodge in Nyahururu town where I was. Disgusted by the bragging, Kibaki remarked in jest: “Mheshimiwa, the mother of those children must be quite intelligent!” Not understanding the insinuation in the remark, the bragging MP replied: “Oh yes, their mother is so brainy!”

On two other occasions, I also got the impression that Kibaki was no great lover of the media, more so when they got pesky and asked questions that did not make much sense. When holding consultative meetings in the countdown to 2002 General Election, journalists accosted Kibaki and other opposition leaders outside Serena Hotel to ask what they had discussed.

No love lost

Those with Kibaki said they had just been having a cup of tea. When the journalists insisted it must have been a meeting to discuss political strategy, Kibaki dismissively waved them away as he said: “But tea itself is political. You mean you folks have never heard of Boston Tea Party!” During another occasion after Kibaki read a joint opposition reaction to a controversial statement released by then Attorney General Amos Wako, a journalist asked him whether the opposition had tried to pick the AG’s brain on the matter before replying to him. Kibaki replied as he walked away: “In the first place, does the AG have a brain to be picked?”

That was Mwai wa Kibaki. Fare thee well Mzee.