Lucy Muthoni Kibaki (1940 - 26 April 2016) was a prominent Kenyan socialite and philanthropist, best known as the wife of the third President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki. She served as the First Lady of Kenya from December 2002 to April 2013.
Lucy Kibaki, Former First Lady of Kenya.
Early Life and Education
Born Lucy Muthoni Kagai in the 1940s, she was the daughter of the Rev. John Kagai and Mrs. Rose Nyachomba, who was a pastor at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa in Nyeri’s Muhito Parish.
Lucy attended Mihuti Primary School, Tumu Tumu Missionary School, and Alliance Girls High School in Kiambu County. After completing her secondary education, she trained as a teacher.
Marriage to Mwai Kibaki
Lucy met Mwai Kibaki, who was then a 28-year-old executive officer of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), after he had abandoned his lecturing career at Makerere University and opted for a political life. During one of his recruitment assignments, Mr Kibaki met Lucy at Kambui. He was with Mr John Keen (later Mr Kibaki’s Secretary-General in the Democratic Party).
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They were married in 1962. After their marriage, Lucy quit her teaching job after Kibaki won the Donholm parliamentary seat in Nairobi.
Role as First Lady
Lucy Kibaki assumed the role of First Lady of Kenya following her husband's election as President in December 2002. She had no predecessor to emulate once inside State House, as Mr Moi had divorced his wife Lena in the mid 1970s, during which there was no First Lady.
As First Lady, Mama Lucy Kibaki evoked fear and embodied radiance in equal measure. Inside State House, the First Lady’s word was law. Due to her temperament, many civil servants found working with her unnerving. It also made her the subject of satirists and editorial cartoonists. With time, Mrs Kibaki became a defining figure of the Kibaki presidency as a vigilant guardian.
During her tenure as a State House tenant, she often cut the image of an abrasive woman who was easily charged and quite unpredictable. However, of controversies that stalked her, some unwarranted, like the night raid at the Nation Centre in 2005, overshadowed her profile as the mother of the nation.
She was a permanent face during national events and was always at Mr Kibaki’s side during official engagements in Nairobi and at times abroad. For many years Mrs Kibaki undertook grassroots campaigns and was the patron of several women’s groups in Othaya, where she also earned respect as a tea farmer.
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Controversies and Public Perception
Lucy Kibaki was known for her strong personality and was often in the limelight. There were two people she detested most: Former Kabete MP Paul Muite and former Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara.
With time, two centres of power emerged, one around Mrs Kibaki, and the other around Ms Wambui. Mrs Kibaki never complained about Ms Wambui in public. Ms Wambui had, in December 2003, claimed to be “Kibaki’s wife” forcing State House to clarify the composition of the President’s family on January 6, 2004.
Those who worked with her at State House describe her as a no-nonsense First Lady but lovely to work with.
However, of controversies that stalked her, some unwarranted, like the night raid at the Nation Centre in 2005, overshadowed her profile as the mother of the nation.
Lucy Kibaki:The Unapologetic legacy of Kenya's First Lady
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Later Life and Death
After that, she retreated to her Muthaiga home and skipped all State functions, including the farewell party for President Kibaki - a man whose political career was partly tied to the moral support she gave him.
Lucy Kibaki passed away on 26 April 2016 at the Bupa Cromwell Hospital in London at the age of 76.
Legacy
Lucy Kibaki left a lasting impact on Kenyan society. She was remembered for her outspokenness, her dedication to her family, and her contributions to various social causes.
The late Lucy Kibaki expressed her mind with unmistakable clarity and sense of purpose. Her sense of standards was uncontested.
She has raised a very good family for the President. I think she is a first class lady,” Dr Joe Wanjui says in Kibaki’s photo-biography, 50 Years of National Service.
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