Kibaki's Special Relationship With Starehe Boys

Starehe  Choir
The Starehe Boys Centre Band Perfoms At A Past Event
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The funeral service of the late President Mwai Kibaki on Friday, April 29 was a full military affair in honour of the former Head of State.

During the processions that kicked off early in the morning from Lee Funeral Home to State House, and to the Nyayo Stadium, military men and women were in charge.

However, the morning event featured some civilians - The Starehe Boys Band, leaving Kenyans with more questions than answers. After all, the late President Kibaki went to Mang'u and not Starehe Boys.

Unknown to many, the Late Mwai Kibaki had been the Patron to the Starehe Boys Centre since 1969. The school held a special place in Kibaki’s heart and the family requested the band to join the military procession and perform at the event which they honoured.

 

The late retired President Mwai Kibaki
The late retired President Mwai Kibaki
Courtesy

Appearing on Citizen TV, security expert John Kinuthia cleared the mystery on why the institution’s band was the only non-military entity at such a high level military function.

According to Kinuthia, the band will not only participate in the military march but has also been slotted to perform at the event.

“President Kibaki has been the institution’s patron for 53 years until death, thus the family requested that the school be part of the event and the school has honoured the invite” Kinuthia explained

The former president believed in education as an intellectual tool in preparing future leaders and thus made great investments not just in the Free Primary Education programme but also supporting individual schools.

Former First Lady Mama Lucy Kibaki, launched the Starehe Girls Centre in 2005.

“When I went through Starehe Boys Kibaki was such an instrumental part. He was always there during the founder’s day so that is why the school’s choir is performing at the event” he stated.

The Starehe band has synchronised its symphony and musical instruments to align with those of the military.

This was expected as the band is exceptional and has performed in different events and television productions.

The Starehe Boys centre was founded by the late German Goeffrey Griffin to help Kenyan poor boys to access education. 

Griffin not only nurtured a culture of academic excellence but also ensured the school had a thieving arts culture thus the emergence of the Starehe boys choir.

Starehe Boys centre is also an academic giant and it was ranked among top performers in the recently released 2021 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).

The school has produced prominent Kenyans among them Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha, Raphael Tuju and former Gatanga legislator Peter Kenneth.

Geoffrey Griffin
A Photo Collage of Geoffrrey William Griffin (Left) and Starehe Boys Centre Students
Nairobi News

 

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