Senate canonises Mwai Kibaki as Kenya's longest-serving MP for 10 consecutive terms

The Senate on April 27 canonised Kenya's third president, Mwai Kibaki, as the country's longest-serving Member of Parliament (MP) - having served 10 consecutive terms.

The pronouncement was made on the final day when his body has been lying in state at Parliament for members of the public to pay their respects, following his demise on April 22.

"A few hundred metres away from where the late President lay, in the Senate, Senators have – for the House's last two sittings – paid beautiful and heartfelt tributes to H.E. Kibaki who goes down the annals of history as the longest-serving MP having served 10 consecutive terms.

Kenya's 3rd President Mwai Kibaki who was in term between 2002 and 2013 Pulse Live Kenya

"The Senate has resolved that the condolences of the Senate be recorded in honour of the late President Mwai Kibaki’s service as a selfless Statesman, a National Hero, an accomplished economist and MP, for his contribution to nation-building and Kenya’s socio-economic development," a statement from the Senate read.

Kibaki's time in Parliament

Kibaki left teaching to join politics at the behest of the late Tom Mboya who was a rising figure at the time.

In 1963, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Donholm constituency (subsequently called Bahati and now known as Makadara) in Nairobi.

That same year, he was appointed Treasury PS, Assistant Minister of Finance and chairman of the Economic Planning Commission, and was promoted to Minister of Commerce and Industry in 1966. He served in the Cabinet until 1982 when he decided to vie for MP in Othaya constituency.

He would serve consecutive terms, representing Othaya at the National Assembly, between 1992 and 2002 in the Opposition wing of the August House.