Being the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) leader, he also has
his life history back in school where he still remembers the timber board and hay mattress he slept on at the Nyeri Boys School between 1939 and 1946. Back then his teachers assured the young boy that the hard
and rough bed would make him grow straight and healthy. For Kibaki, it was at Nyeri Boys, where he excelled in
English and Mathematics, that he mastered the art of self-reliance. Here he
would recall many years later the boys grew their own food and learned
carpentry and masonry, which enabled them to maintain school buildings and repair furniture.
The man whose love for the English language in primary
school was heightened by the "prestige ego that went with speaking it"
excelled in final examinations which secured him a place at
Mangu High School.
Discipline was strict at Mangu and the gentleman who in
later years would become a dashing Cabinet Minister, wore only shorts in high
school. "Students were not allowed to wear anything apart from
normal school uniform. He says that his father bought him a pair of long
trousers, but he could only wear it during school holidays" , Kibaki was to
recall many years later. Kibaki who continued to have a bias for English and
Mathematics at Mangu High, was also well rounded in other subjects and though
younger than most of his classmates, quite bright. "He was in fact considerably younger than most of his
classmates, intelligent, bright, not only academically, but also in every
aspects and looked happy, well adjusted and an integrated person," once said
Father Francis Soughley, who taught Kibaki at Mangu.
Born under the star sun of Scorpio on November 15, 1931, the
NARC chairman is married with four grown up children. He lives with his wife
Lucy Muthoni in the exclusive Muthaiga area. Kibaki's children are Judy Wanjiku, first born and mother of
Joy Jaimie Marie, Kibakis first grand child. Judy is followed by the 39 year
old Jimi, who is married to Sheryl Anne and together they have Mwai Jnr.
After Jimi comes the 36 year old David Kagai who is married
to Grace Wambui and they are the parents of Krystina Muthoni. The Kibaki
family last born is the 30 year old Tonny Githinji who is married to Eddah
Wambui.
A chat with Judy Kibaki leaves one with the impression that
in spite of their father having spent all his adult life busy in politics, he
has always had time for his family. "We have never lacked in terms of fatherly attention. He
would always find ways of creating time to be with us during crucial moments,"
said Judy during a discussion at her Finance House recently.
Asked whether the political ups and downs Kibaki has been
subjected to have affected the family in any way, Judy thoughtfully responds
"We have always been there for him during the hard political times just like
he has always been there for us. We will give him encouragement and support
when the times are hard, like was the case when he was dropped as the Vice
President in 1988." She fondly says that her father loves playing his golf and
playing with his grand children Mwai Jnr, Joy, and Krystina whenever he can.
