The late third president of Kenya Mwai Kibaki, gave his children sufficient time always present at their stages of lives, did not force them into the political limelight, believed in staying focused and behaving in a manner befitting respected people in the society.
According to tributes paid to their father by Judy Kibaki and Jimmy Kibaki during the funeral of their father whom they termed as an excellent example of a patient man, Judy Kibaki said his father was his mentor too, ensuring a life that has taught her great lesson of give and take as she eventually would help her Father run his assets something she says she loves, at some point she joint him in his campaigns.
Judy Kibaki says she has known her father to be a jovial person and simply Dad, despite his different names given to him by Kenyans through his political career, from being mheshimiwa, waziri, leader of opposition, to his excellence, adding that his father`s political wins were hard earned and would always remind them that good things do not come instantly.
Kibaki`s children indicated that their father also taught them a lesson of resilience, that made him win 10 Genenral election over a span of 50 years, a firm believer that victory can be won peacefully.
On the other hand, Jimmy Kibaki, said his relationship was simply that of father and son, terming it more of a cat and mouse game as he was a troublesome boy and would always get into the bad books with his father who would always challenge him to do his best to be a respectable man.
Kibaki`s advice to his son Jimmy would be to ensure he always came home at respectable time, that would be by midnight, in his education he would seem to give up on him in form three, threatening to have him go work in their rural farm for pay, something he was considering, his reaction leading to Kibaki consulting Lucy on whether they should have Jimmy checked in Mathare mental hospital. Jimmy says the ultimatum came when his father promised to have him repeat to form two if his performance did not change, a point that gave him a U-turn in his academics starting a new journey of success.
Jimmy Kibaki indulged Kenyans of how his sister Judy was always a smart one just like their father. Kibaki was a lecturer and their mother the late Lucy Kibaki a teacher trainer. The two always reminded their children on how lucky they were to be exposed to the best education ever and that they should not take the opportunity for granted.
Their late mother Lucy Muthoni Kibaki passed on 26th April, 2016 in South Kensington, London hospital in United Kingdom, she was married to the late president Mwai Kibaki since 1961 to 2016, the death of Mwai Kibaki came six years 4 days later. May they Rest in eternal peace.
