President Mwai Kibaki's eldest son, Jimmy Kibaki has revealed his father's last words to his family, and how he prepared for death by ensuring that the family would not fight over his vast wealth.
Kibaki family reveals his last words, speaks on sharing wealth & political successor
President Mwai Kibaki's eldest son, Jimmy Kibaki has revealed his father's last words to his family, and how he prepared for his death by ensuring that the family would not fight over his vast wealth.
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Jimmy revealed that it all began in 2016 after the death of Mama Lucy Kibaki when the loss took a toll on his father who began falling sick frequently.
Knowing that he would soon be reunited with his sweetheart Mama Lucy Kibaki in death, the former head of state made peace with himself, family and everyone around him, ensuring that all his affairs were in order, including the sharing of his vast wealth.
“Remember he had to be flown to South Africa for specialized treatment after our mum passed on. The experience and the ordeal changed everything. It was never going to be the same again,” Jimmy Kibaki recounted.
Kibaki is reported to have met his family hours before his death and gave them his dying wishes: “...stay together, take care of my grandchildren.”
According to the family, Kibaki made it clear that by honoring his dying wish for unity in the family, they shall have made the former First Lady - and him - proud and happy even in death.
Sharing of Mwai Kibaki's vast wealth
Jimmy assured the country that the sharing of Kibaki's vast wealth would be a peaceful affair as his father, 'being a meticulous man', had ensured that everything on that front is addressed to avoid the usual fights among wealthy families when the patriarch or matriarch passes on.
“We have no reason to start fighting, we’ve been brought up well. As his children, we do not view his wealth as ours. No. For whatever wealth he has left, we only see ourselves as trustees for the next generation. Our duty is to increase what is there not to fight over it,” Jimmy stated.
As the end beckoned, Jimmy recounted that his father put up a brave fight despite the visible pain in his eyes and was more concerned about the family.
“My father never wanted us to worry about him. Instead, he was more concerned about us, even in his sickness,” he said.
Mwai Kibaki's political heir kept under wraps
Jimmy recounted that his father neither encouraged nor discouraged them from venturing into politics.
In fact, the closest he came to it was when the former president requested his son 'to engage closely’ with Othaya residents, a constituency that Former President Mwai Kibaki represented in parliament for close to 50 years.
“He neither encouraged nor discouraged us from joining politics. Remember even for him, he never joined politics for the sake of it, as is the case among many. He joined politics in order to be appointed minister and later president since he believed he had something to offer and it could only be possible in that space,” Jimmy recalled.
On Kibaki's political successor and the possibility of one of his heirs stepping into the field, Jimmy made it clear that the family would communicate at a later time.
“We’re a bit private and conduct our affairs differently. Of course, the family already sees me as one [political leader] but trust me, an announcement will be made when such a decision is arrived at," he concluded.
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