Duncan Miriri

NAIROBI, Reuters – Kenya’s ex-president Mwai Kikibaki has passed away at the age of 90. He introduced economic reforms in Kenya and a new constitution, but failed to fulfill his promises to fight corruption. His tenure also was marred by a disputed reelection, which resulted in deadly violence.

Kibaki is a British-educated, economist. His unflappable demeanour conceals political guile, which finally led to him being elected to the presidency.

The hand-picked successor to Moi was upset by his 2002 landslide victory. Kibaki was in a wheelchair after his car accident and had his leg amputated. He promised the ecstatic crowd that he would end Moi’s dictatorial quarter-century of rule.

This honeymoon didn’t last very long. Soon cracks appeared in NARC. NARC is an alliance of opposing parties.

Raila Odinga of NARC, one of its leaders, charged Kibaki with violating a secret pre-election agreement that ensured Odinga’s election victory.

Kibaki instead appointed Odinga as the minister for roads. This angered his base, and sow the seeds of a bitter showdown that would lead to violence in the 2007 election, resulting in the death of 1,250 people.

Also, Kibaki angered the voters by not tackling widespread corruption. His ministers also embraced corrupt businessmen like Moi.

Edward Clay, British High Commission to Britain, summarized donors’ perceptions of government graft in an 2004 speech. “Their gluttony causes [they] to vomit all across our shoes.”

Kibaki appointed John Githongo as anti-graft coordinator in the midst of a turbulent first few days. Githongo fled Britain to escape a multi-million-dollar passport printing scheme involving top cabinet ministers. Later, he became an outspoken critic.

VIOLENCE TO ELECTION

Kibaki’s fiscal prudence, and the infrastructure projects he initiated breathed new life into Kenya’s stagnant economy. Many restrictions were lifted on expression.

However, his 2007 dispute over re-election was a taint to his legacy.

Odinga, Opposition leader, was in the lead by over a hundred thousand votes. But the electoral commission stopped abruptly announcing results and removed journalists. The commission declared that Kibaki had been elected by narrow margins and was quickly sworn into office.

The majority of election observers believe that elections were flawed. Odinga called to protests and triggered an ensuing police crackdown. Violence broke out in Nairobi’s slums as well as the Rift valley highlands and Kisumu, a lakeside town. In a church, families were set on fire.

A peace agreement was finally struck between Odinga and Kibaki by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan. They formed a great coalition government with Odinga serving as the prime minister.

Five years after much squabbling, the coalition finally enacted a revised constitution in 2010. It delegated some power from the presidency to counties. The move was made to eliminate the winning-take-all system.

TOBACCO TRADER’S SON

Kibaki, the son of tobacco traders, grew up among lush coffee and tea gardens in central Kenya. Before he graduated from Kampala’s Makerere University, he was the first African to receive a first-class diploma at the London School of Economics.

He was an economist lecturer when he returned to Makerere in 1958, during the wave of African independence movements. He was elected to Parliament in Kenya and served as an adviser to President Jomo Kenyatta when the country became independent. He was appointed Commerce and Industry Minister two years later.

He was Kenyatta’s finance minister 13 years, while Moi served as Moi’s vice president during some of those times. In 1992, Moi pushed Kibaki to the opposition.

Kibaki, who was responsible for overseeing large landholdings and other business interests in Kenya, was one of the richest Kenyan men.

In 2013, Kibaki fled to Nairobi, where he hid in a luxurious neighborhood near his Muthaiga golf course, after he had handed power over to Uhuru Kenyatta. Numerous children and grandchildren are his survivors.