Kibaki son intends to succeed his father

President Kibaki’s son Jimmy on Sunday gave the clearest indication that he intends to succeed his father as the Othaya MP.

Saying he was not scared of other contestants, Jimmy said he will start his campaigns soon after the referendum.

“It is too early to play politics, but after the referendum, we can begin campaigning properly,” he told a fundraiser at Witima Catholic Church in Othaya.

He assured the constituents that the President is close to them and he had his father’s blessings to succeed him.

The younger Kibaki has faced criticism for failing to clearly state his political ambitions even though he has taken up various development projects and held a string of harambees in aid of schools and churches in the area.

To observers, the President’s eldest son has done everything an elected leader would do save for declaring that he is interested in that seat.

Expected to retire

President Kibaki, who appears aloof to issues of development, has left it to his son to run the affairs of the constituency, including those of managing the CDF kitty.

The Head of State, who is the longest-serving MP, and has represented Othaya for close to 40 years, is expected to retire in 2012 after serving two terms as President of the republic.

At the same time, the younger Kibaki rooted for the new law saying the devolved power would prevent presidential dictatorship.

He also offered to arbitrate between the Church and government to help bridge their differences ahead of the referendum.

“If at all you (Catholic Church) need my assistance to talk to the President so that you can reconcile on the constitution, I am at your service,” he said.

He promised the Church that the changes they wanted enacted in the proposed constitution would be made before the President retires in 2012 and urged the clergy to support the document.