Mama Lucy Kibaki-Profile

Internet photo(s)

 

BY FAITH NYAMAI

@faithnyamai

Known for her strong personality, protective nature and taking fearless stands when it comes to the dignity of her family, the former first lady Lucy Muthoni Kibaki is among the first ladies in East Africa and in Kenya whose memories will not be easily erased in the minds of many.

Her charming nature, charitable works and the compassionate nature she showed to her family and the community even in the glare of the media are some of the various activities she is credited for and will always be remembered for.

Born in 1934 to Reverend John Kagai and Mrs Rose Nyachomba at Mukurweini village in Nyeri County, her father was a pastor at the Presbyterian church of East Africa and the family is said to have grown under strict Christian values.

She was among 10 siblings among them four brothers who are now dead and five sisters who are now alive.

According to Ms Mary Mugai a sister to Mama Lucy, as they were growing up in the village, they only knew her as simply Muthoni, before she latter become Mama Jimmy.

“Muthoni was real friend to us as sisters, a compassionate mother and a true sister, we will always remember you for that,” said Ms Mugai during the requiem mass on Wednesday.

“She was humble, did it her way and was always true to her words,” described her grandchildren

While growing up in the village, she was known for her committed interest in working with the community and her fellow youth. She attended the Alliance girl’s high school where she left a record of her excellent performance. Her success in school made her to become among the first African women in Kenya and in her village to tutor in teacher training colleges.

She first taught at the Kamweja teachers college in Nyeri and latter at Kambui teaching college in Kiambu where she rose to be the principal.

While working as a teacher, she met the former president Mwai Kibaki in 1960 with whom they become friend which lead to their engagement. At that time Mr Kibaki had just quit his teaching job at the Makerere University in Uganda.

After two years of romance, they got married in a church wedding in 1962. Their first born daughter Judy was born latter that same year. The following year in 1963, she quit her teaching career to take care of their young family

They together had three other children, Jimmy Kibaki, David Kagai and Tony Kibaki.

Lucy is known to have lived a private life and never came in the lime light until 2002 when her husband started campaigning for the position of the presidency. Even during the time when Mr Kibaki was the MP for Othaya for many years, she was would support her husband silently, avoiding publicity.

Much of hers personality came out when she became the first lady of Kenya.

She was different, a woman with strong personality, always spoke her mind freely and honestly. She would not take anything that she did not agree with.

“She was a woman of tremendous substance and she was always courageous and always stood out as mother both in good times and in bad times, “described the deputy president William Ruto.

Lucy was a strong believer of family values. She would confront and fiercely defend the image of how people looked at her and family. She knew how to support her husband Mr Kibaki in politics and ensured that he reached his goals.

“They say behind every successful Man,there is a strong woman, Lucy was a strong woman, she was a real mother to this country and we will always appreciate and remember the roll she placed in this country when she was the first lady,” President Uhuru Kenyatta said during the requiem mass.

During the 2002 elections, Lucy would accompany his husband during political rallies telling Kenyans how Mr Kibaki was the most suitable candidate to bring a change in Kenya.

It was during a time when Kenyans taking a deep breath after 24 years of dictatorship government of the former president Mr Daniel Arap Moi. Kenyans had become tired of the Mr Moi leadership and wanted a charge of gear.

Soon after Mr Kibaki came into power, Lucy started making headlines as she could not take anything that seemed like it will belittle or damage the picture and the dignity of her family which she had spent many years building.

Because of her strong personality, she was occasionally misunderstood for the actions she took whenever someone said any negative things about her or her family. She is known to have launched verbal and at times physical attacks to diplomats and journalist.

Lucy will be more remembered for the various charitable works she was engaged in. She was among the first ladies to lead in the fight against HIV/Aids. She even chaired the Organization of the 40 African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS during her time.

She was also on the fore front in the fight against the female Genital Mutilation.

In her Mukurweini village where she was born and raised, she is known to have paid an unspecified amount of cash to Kenya Power for the village to be connected to the electricity grind. She was always there for her people and when she heard that villagers had fundraising towards certain projects Lucy never failed to show up or sent her contributions.

In 2006, the First lady led dignitaries to the Muhito PCEA church harambee where they contributed millions of shillings to its expansion. She is said to have taken part in a Sh800m water project that will ensure all residents get access to tap water at Mukurweini.

The expansion of the Mukurweini hospital is also among the projects that Lucy took part.

At her Othaya village where she was married she credited of engaging in various community based projects together with her husband. She is known to have fully supported her husband.

Across Nyeri County, She is known of her motherly and compassionate nature having sponsored many children through their education from the less fortunate families. Some of these children are yet to complete their studies.

The Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital which was renamed from Embakasi District Hospital to Mama Lucy Kibaki hospital and opened in March 1, 2013 has remained as an icon of the charitable works she was engaged in. The Hospital has been providing accessible health services to residents.

Among other involvements she engaged herself in is becoming the Patron of Kenya Girl Guides Association of Kenya. She was dedicated and ensured that the association’s functions ran smoothly during her tenure.

Lucy was found of bright colours according to her family members. This, has prompted them to embrace the yellow as the theme colour for the ribbons worn during the mourning period and later during her burial ceremony at Othaya.

August 27, 2010 during the promulgation of the Kenyan Constitution at Uhuru Park was her last public official function to attend. After that she is known to have gone out of the public events. Even during the handing over of president Kibaki’s tenure she did not attend the ceremony.

Lucy will be remembered for her passion, inspiration, strong personality and mentorship to the youth.

The former first lady passed away on Tuesday last week while being treated at the Bupa Cromwell Hospital in South West London. She had been receiving treatment at Nairobi hospital after a short illness.