Mwai Kibaki, Ngilu, Wamalwa
By: Jane Mwangi
When the opposition politics was officially allowed in the country, Democratic Party of Kenya (DP) was the second political party to be formed.
The then Othaya Member of Parliament Mwai Kibaki became its founding chairman, a position he kept without any opposition until he was sworn in as the third president in the country.
In its formative days, Kibaki joined hands with leaders from different parts of the country to run the party.
Among these was former Catholic Church priest, George Muhoho who is an uncle to President Uhuru Kenyatta. Muhoho and some of his relatives led by former Health minister and nominated Senator Beth Mugo supported Kibaki’s bid for the presidency for two times before he eventually became the president on his third stab.
Other leaders were John Keen from the Maasai Community, former Kiambaa MP, the late Njenga Karume, then youthful party supporter Jacob Hajji from Northern Kenya’s Mandera county who interestingly is the current party Secretary General.
When elections were called, just a few months after the formation of DP, the party was able to produce members of Parliament and civic leaders from different parts of the country.
After the 1997 General Election, Kibaki was named the official opposition leader due to his party’s strength in Parliament.
He held that position until December 2002 when he contested and won the presidency.
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