By John Kariuki
Wiper Party Leader and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka delivered a powerful and heartfelt keynote address at the Second Mwai Kibaki Memorial Lecture held at the Nairobi Serena Hotel on Friday. In his tribute, Kalonzo honored the legacy of Kenya’s third president while strongly condemning recent government actions that, he said, threaten the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution President Kibaki helped deliver.
“April 22 is a date embedded in my mind and thoughts,” Kalonzo began, reflecting on the day Kibaki passed away in 2022. “When I learnt that a group of eminent Kenyans launched this annual lecture to keep the memory and ideals of this African icon alive, it warmed my heart. Such is the measure of the man we honour.”
Kalonzo recounted his first meeting with Kibaki in 1985 as a newly elected MP, describing the late president as a brilliant economist, revered statesman, and masterful orator. He highlighted Kibaki’s legacy — from steering Kenya’s economy during the First Republic to ushering in Vision 2030 and delivering one of the world’s most progressive constitutions in 2010.
“President Kibaki was not a man of self-praise,” Kalonzo said. “We once tried to name the Thika Super Highway after him. He simply asked, ‘Doesn’t this road already have a name?’”
The former Vice President also drew attention to Kibaki’s role in healing a fractured Kenya after the 2007 post-election violence. “It was through his faith and trust that he reached out to us and formed the first Grand Coalition government. I had the honour of serving as his Vice President during those trying times.”
Kalonzo’s speech, however, took a sharp and impassioned turn as he addressed a disturbing incident from the previous day — the teargassing of Butere Girls High School students and members of the media during a drama festival in Nakuru.
Calling it “the most egregious assault on democracy,” Kalonzo accused the current regime of crossing a red line. “This Ruto regime has crossed the Rubicon,” he declared. “To the courageous students of Butere Girls — your bravery in the face of armed intimidation is a symbol of hope for this nation.”
He emphasized that Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution guarantee freedom of expression and media independence, rights he vowed to defend without compromise.
“As we remember President Kibaki — who promulgated this sacred Constitution — let it be known that we will continue to defend it. We will protect the freedoms and rights of all Kenyans. We will not be silenced. Not today, not now, not ever.”
The Mwai Kibaki Annual Memorial Lecture was established in 2023 to preserve the values and leadership legacy of the late president, whose impact on Kenya remains indelible.
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