Deputy President William Ruto described Mwai Kibaki as “Kenya’s greatest President” during his (Ruto’s) speech at the Nyayo National Stadium on Friday.
The DP made the remarks as the incumbent, Uhuru Kenyatta, listened keenly. In attendance, were three other presidents – Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia and Salva Kirr Mayardit of South Sudan.
Since attaining independence in 1963, Kenya has had four presidents.
Mzee Jomo Kenyatta served between 1963 and 1978; Mzee Daniel Moi (1978-2002); Mwai Kibaki (2003-2013) and Uhuru Kenyatta (2013 to present). Uhuru Kenyatta’s final term will end later this year.
Out of the four presidents Kenya has had, Deputy President William Ruto says Kibaki has been “the greatest of them all”.
“[Kibaki was] a distinguished public servant that rose up the ranks, and of course [is] the greatest President Kenya [has] ever had. We celebrate his achievements, contributions and his rich and solid legacy," Ruto said at the Nyayo National Stadium, where Kibaki’s State Funeral service was held on Friday, April 29.
The deputy president said Kibaki put in place a foundation that Uhuru Kenyatta inherited, and hopes that Kenya’s fifth president would continue to honour and protect the legacy.
“He (Kibaki) sowed the seeds and laid the foundation upon which our fourth president built the expansive and elaborate infrastructure we see today in our country,” said Ruto.
The deputy president also described the third president as a “great scholar and the finest economist our country has ever had”.
Ruto said Uhuru is Kibaki’s leadership student.
The DP, who will take his first stab at the presidency in August 9, 2022 General Election, took the opportunity to drum up support for his bid.
“I can see his (Kibaki’s) shadow and influence in what is going to become of the fifth President of Kenya because I see the conversation around the economy which President Kibaki was its architect,” he said.
Kibaki presided over Kenya at a period when Kenya’s economy grew exponentially and exhibited major transformation.
The improved management of the economy during Kibaki’s presidency saw Kenya’s GDP grow from a low of 0.6 per cent in 2002 to three per cent in 2003, 4.9 per cent in 2004, 5.8 per cent in 2005, six per cent in 2006 and seven per cent in 2007.
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In 2008, due to the post-poll chaos, it slowed to 1.8 per cent, before climbing to 2.8 per cent in 2009 and five per cent in 2010.
Kibaki presided over a period in which revenue collection tripled from Sh200 billion in 2002 to Sh600 billion in 2011.
On Education, Kibaki initiated the free and compulsory primary education.
The country had seven public universities, 24 university constituent colleges and 15 chartered private universities as at the end of 2012.
Despite the economic regress in 2008, one could easily sum that the recovery was significant.
Kibaki presided over a period in which revenue collection tripled from Sh200 billion in 2002 to Sh600 billion in 2011.
On Education, Kibaki initiated the free and compulsory primary education.
The country had seven public universities, 24 university constituent colleges and 15 chartered private universities as at the end of 2012.
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