A special sitting of the National Assembly to mourn former President Mwai Kibaki was reduced to a political duel between Azimio la Umoja One Kenya and Kenya Kwanza coalitions.
The sitting was called by Speaker Justin Muturi on the request of House Majority Leader Amos Kimunya (Kipipiri), to accord lawmakers a chance to pay their last respects to Kibaki.
Mr Kibaki was first elected MP in 1963 and went on to serve for 50 years, the second longest in the Commonwealth after England’s Winston Churchill, who was an MP for six decades.
Those from Kenya Kwanza that support Deputy President William Ruto’s presidential bid did not have kind words for President Uhuru Kenyatta for supporting Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga in the August 9 presidential race.
Former Majority Leader and Garissa Township MP Aden Duale started the attacks against the President.
However, MPs from the two camps were united in saying Kibaki was a performer, having grown the country’s economy from years of ruin to creating jobs and ensuring Kenya got a new Constitution in August 2010.
“We have lost a great leader. Kibaki was not petty like some we know today. He did not believe in the politics of betrayal. He believed in economic growth,” Mr Duale said.
Politicians backing the DP’s bid accuse President Kenyatta of betraying him by openly supporting and campaigning for Mr Odinga.
At some point, Mr Duale accused the President of plunging the country into an economic abyss by going on a borrowing spree.
At the time Kibaki was leaving office after serving his two terms in 2013, Kenya’s public debt was Sh1.8 trillion.
It now stands at Sh8.6 trillion, minus the publicly guaranteed loans to state corporations of at least Sh3 trillion.
“He never believed in debts. But today Kenya is choking on loans,” Mr Duale said.
“We know those who made Kibaki’s life in the 10th Parliament difficult. He had the best of advisers unlike today when sycophants want to steal from Kenyans,” he said.
Azimio-leaning MPs Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja), Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo) and Moitalel ole Kenta (Narok North) accused Dr Ruto of openly disrespecting his boss.
“Kibaki was lucky to have loyal vice presidents, not like today when the DP has become the opposition leader in the government he serves,” Mr Wandayi said.
During his time as President, Kibaki had three vice presidents – Kijana Wamalwa, Moody Awori and Kalonzo Musyoka, who has been Mr Odinga’s running mate in the 2013 and 2017 elections.
Mr Wangwe accused the DP of being in a hurry to be the country’s president, “something that was never extolled by Kibaki”.
“Are we supposed to be in a hurry to be leaders or presidents? The answer is no!” Mr Wangwe said and suggested that the Parliament building be named after the former president.
“A great leader remains great because he was meant to be. You don’t have to be a gadfly to be a leader,” Mr Kenta said.
Mr Ichung’wah dismissed President Kenyatta’s leadership as one anchored on suffocating Kenya’s democratic space and depressing the economy Kibaki revived.
“Kibaki goes down as the country’s history greatest president. He moved the economy from the doldrums,” the Kikuyu MP said, adding that the country’s economy “has been taken back to where Kibaki lifted it from”.
“He did not arrest a trader or close a business. Kibaki was a democrat par excellence. He knew what state capture and conflict of interest were. We mourn the democratic space he helped expand.”
“Kibaki never intimidated or coerced anyone to embrace his thoughts. He allowed people to choose leaders without coercion,” the Mathira lawmaker said.
Mr Nyoro said Kibaki never did business with the government when he was President, adding that poverty levels have gone up.
“It is actually criminal for this regime to keep comparing its performance with that of Kibaki. It is an insult to his legacy. There is no comparison. We can only contrast,” he said.
But even as the Azimio and Kenya Kwanza allied leaders traded barbs, MPs Charles Kilonzo (Yatta) and Wafula Wamunyinyi (Kanduyi) stuck to the business of the House.
“I had the privilege of working with him as the leader of opposition and president. Kenyans have lost a great leader. He made Kenya a liberal and open society,” Wamunyinyi said.
“Among the few people who supported me financially is Mwai Kibaki,” he told the House.
The sitting which started at 2.30pm ended at exactly 4.49pm to allow the military time to prepare Kibaki’s body and take it back to Lee Funeral Home.
The body lay in state at Parliament buildings for three days, giving thousand of Kenyans time to view it.
The lawmakers in the two Houses of Parliament – the National Assembly and Senate – led by Speakers Justin Muturi and Kenneth Lusaka respectively, later joined Kenya Defence Forces soldiers at one of the gates in a procession to pay their last respects to the former president.
