Jimmy Kibaki, the eldest son of former President Mwai Kibaki, has spoken publicly for the first time about his father’s illness and final days before his death on Friday last week.
The final days were difficult, Jimmy told journalists in Parliament, where his father is lying in state, but they were all prepared as a family.
“As you all know, mzee has been sick for about two to three years,” Jimmy explained, “but the last few months have been particularly challenging for us.”
He did, however, say that the former president was tough and fought hard.
He went on to say that the family was not surprised because Kibaki had been ill for a long time, even if the public was unaware.
“As a family, we’re a little private, which is why the public may not have known much about his illness,” he explained.
Kibaki passed away on April 22nd at the age of 90. From 2002, when he took over from Daniel arap Moi, to 2012, when he handed over to Uhuru Kenyatta, he ruled Kenya.
