President Kibaki has started planning for his retirement after 50 years in active politics. The arrangements include thanksgiving ceremonies, completion of a palatial home and construction of three new learning institutions including a university.
Kibaki’s son Jimi has disclosed that the President is planning to return to Nyeri in two months time and hold a party where he will thank the people of Othaya for repeatedly electing him to Parliament. The thanksgiving ceremony will be in a church in Othaya. “We shall hold a thanksgiving ceremony to thank our God for what he has done for our MP for all those years,” said Jimi at the weekend in a fundraiser at Othaya Approved School.
Kibaki entered elective politics in 1963 winning the Doonholm constituency — now Makadara — in Nairobi Province on a Kanu ticket. He shifted to Othaya in 1974 which he has represented uninterrupted until now. Kibaki won the presidential elections by a landslide in 2002 to become Kenya’s third president. His re-election in 2007 was disputed. The constitution bars him from contesting in 2012 as he will have served two five-year terms.
According to reliable sources, President Kibaki is planning to retire at Sasini Estate, 25 kilometres from his Othaya Kanyange home. The 1,000-acre farm is situated near Mweiga town on the Nyeri-Nyahururu Highway in Kieni West district. The contractor has been given until September to complete the palatial Sh500 million home and fencing is expected to end in two months time. Sources yesterday indicated that President Kibaki may tour the farm today to inspect the project and probably commission it.
The estate has been used for growing coffee and rearing grade cows. It has an airstrip making it easier for Kibaki to land and fly from his home. Kibaki presently has homes in Nairobi’s Muthaiga and Othaya. Insiders have hinted that the First Family is planning to use its 1,700-acre Rware farm in Narumoru town in Kieni East to set up education institutions.
First Lady Lucy Kibaki will initiate a multimillion-shilling project at the farm by the end of this year, according to inside sources. It is expected to have private primary and secondary schools and a university as a way of giving back to the community.
The contractor working on Kibaki’s Mweiga retirement home will start construction of the education institutions in October. Kibaki can expect a luxurious life in retirement that includes 38 servants paid by the public. He will collect a Sh17 million lump sum gratuity as a goodbye token from government.
This is calculated as a sum equal to Kibaki’s annual salary for the two terms served as President as stipulated in the Presidential Retirements Benefits Act (2003). He will receive at least Sh950,000 tax-free pension each month — calculated as 80 per cent of the salary of the next President. He will be entitled to a housing allowance of Sh300,000 a month; Sh300,000 each month as electricity, water and telephone allowances; and a further Sh200,000 monthly as entertainment allowance. He will also be entitled to two four-wheel drive cars with an engine capacity of 3,400 cc and two others of his choice with an engine capacity of at least 3,000 cc.
Kibaki will receive Sh200,000 monthly as fuel allowance. A reputable insurance company will provide Kibaki and his wife at government expense with full medical and hospital cover providing for local and overseas treatment. Kibaki will be provided with a fully furnished “suitable” office with office machines and supplies paid for by the taxpayer. Servants to be provided by government include six officers for his personal security and six others to guard his homes.
The others will be personal assistants (2), drivers (4), messengers (4), secretaries (4), cooks (2), housekeepers (2), gardeners (2), laundry persons (2), and house cleaners (4). At the weekend Jimi told Nyeri residents that Kibaki has been very busy with national matters.
Jimi said Kibaki has ensured that 90 per cent of Othaya people have electricity, 95 per cent have piped water and about 150 kilometres of road is being tarmacked. He added that the President has ensured that Othaya District Hospital is being upgraded into a referral hospital at a cost of Sh800 million which will make it one of the best hospitals in Mt Kenya region.
Source-http://www.nairobistar.com/national/national/32292-kibaki-plan-for-his-retirement-after-50-years-in-active-politics
President Mwai Kibaki Prepares To Retire after 50 Years in Politics
