It was while he was in Karima when he was baptised as Emilio.
The baptism fee cost Sh1.
In 1947, he joined Holy Ghost College (now Mangu High School) before joining Makerere University College in 1951.
Like a rising and shining star from Kenya and out of Africa, Kibaki joined London School of Economics in 1956.
Equipped with experience from Kenya, Africa and the world, Kibaki started his political career in 1960 when he became the Executive officer of Kenya African National Union (KANU) party which ruled Kenya for about 40 years.
Soon after Kenya’s second President Daniel arap Moi took over from Kenya’s first President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Kibaki was appointed as the Vice President and Minister of Finance.
For ten years, Kibaki served as Moi’s deputy till 1988.
In 1992, he rose up to challenge his boss Moi who was the ‘untouchable’ centre of power under KANU.
Kibaki vied for the presidency on a Democratic Party (DP) ticket.
He came in third but never gave up. On second trial for the presidency in 1997 he came in second.
It was in 2002, when Kibaki finally clenched on Kenya’s top seat after toppling Moi’s longstanding era of 24 years.
He served Kenya for the next 10 years and upon his exit in 2012, he left a thunderous legacy of transformation to Kenya’s education system through free primary education, infrastructure, revival of the economy, freedom of expression and the best gift of all the 2010 Constitution of Kenya.
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