Retired President Emilio Mwai Kibaki, born on November 15, 1931, ascended to power in 2002 and ruled Kenya for two terms, up to 2013.
Kenyans recognise and appreciate the former president for his insight and wisdom. His past life is however little known to many.
Kibaki attended Karima Primary and Nyeri boarding schools before joining Mang'u High School between 1947 and 1950. He passed his examinations and attained a Grade 1 Distinction, excelling in all six subjects.
According to a biography on Kibaki by Dedan Kimathi University, he later joined Makerere University where he studied Economics, History and Political Science, and graduated best in his class in 1955.
Kibaki earned a scholarship later that year to the London School of Economics to study public finance and graduated with a distinction.
In 1962, he married Lucy Muthoni, daughter of a church minister and a secondary school headteacher.
Kibaki holds the record for the longest-serving MP- 50 years. He first became the MP for Donholm (subsequently called Bahati and now known as Makadara) in 1963. In 1974, he went back to his rural home Othaya, a seat he held until his retirement in 2013.
In 1963, he was appointed as a permanent secretary at Treasury, then assistant minister for Finance and chairman of the Economic Planning Commission in the same year. He was promoted to head the Commerce and Industry ministry in 1966.
In 1969, the former head of state led the Finance and Economic Planning ministry, where he served until 1982.
In 1978, Kibaki was appointed vice president, where he served till 1988, when a fallout with the then-president, Daniel Moi got him demoted to the Ministry of Health.
He became president in 2002 and 2007 when he was sworn in as president at night, following a questionable victory prompting the insertion of a clause in the constitution for presidents to be sworn in between 10 am and 2 pm.
Here are the rear photos of Kibaki.
