Kenya’s former president Mwai Kibaki dies at 90

Kenya’s former president, Mwai Kibaki, has died at the age of 90, President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced.

He was president of Kenya from 2003 to 2013.

President Kenyatta, defeated by Kibaki in 2002, led the tribute to his former rival, saying he had “led the charge to keep the ruling party accountable”.

Kibaki had “earned the abiding respect and affection” of this nation, the president continued.

Kenyatta declared a mourning period until Kibaki’s burial, with flags flying at half-mast. He will be given a state funeral with full military honors, President Kenyatta said.

Many Kenyans are expressing a real sense of loss and regard Kibaki as the best president Kenya has had since independence.

He was a sharp economist who set the country on a path of economic growth. He held a number of senior positions in treasury and government in his political career that spanned decades.

Politically, however, he was regarded as a non-confrontational fence-sitter and opportunist. He opposed the introduction of multiparty democracy but jumped ship after the constitution was amended. He then embraced it, formed his own political party and, 10 years later, went on to win the election as head of an opposition coalition.

Both traits would be seen during his tenure as president. Kenya recorded one of its highest rates of gross domestic product (GDP) growth during his tenure.

As well as his economic record, one of his biggest achievements was to introduce free primary (elementary) education to Kenya.

He also introduced a new constitution in 2010, after it was overwhelmingly approved in a national referendum. It was billed by some at the time as the most important political event in Kenya’s history since it gained independence from Britain in 1963.

It introduced a more decentralized political system and limited presidential powers.

His biggest failure was the fight against corruption. He had promised to fight it, but his government was rocked by major corruption scandals.

Kibaki is survived by 4 children.