How Kenya's First Ladies Are A Study In Contrasts

One of the forever lingering images of our times as a nation is that of a sharply dressed Mama Ngina, hand on the heart, in a deep prayer as her late husband Jomo Kenyatta lies in state at Parliament buildings.

For many it would have been the end of an active life as a first lady and some would have receded into obscurity. But not Mama Ngina. She has earned her place in history as the first lady emeritus and although she officially moved out of State House nearly 46 years ago, her influence has never diminished.

So much so that as late as last month, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua publicly apologised to her for inappropriate utterances during the 2022 election campaigns.

Those in the know say that Mama Ngina was a real power broker in the days her husband was the president. Apart from this, she also asserted her authority as a shrewd businesswoman, sitting at the top of the Kenyatta commercial empire with interests encompassing almost every sphere of trade from agriculture to education to insurance and banking and almost anything in between. The Kenyatta Succession by journalists Philip Ochieng and Joseph Karimi provides glimpses of how much power she exercised.

With Daniel Moi succeeding Mzee Kenyatta and in a never revealed pact that only the Mois and Kenyattas seemed to know and understand, Mama Ngina was as influential in the administration of the second president and she ensured that the name of her late husband was respected to nearly being made sacrosanct.

When Moi, in his attempt to rehabilitate Kenyas founding vice president Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, gave the man a job as head of Cotton Lint and Marketing Board, the outspoken Kenyatta critic went to a public meeting and made some unsavoury remarks against the founding father of the nation, saying he was a land grabber.

It is claimed that a private but very strong complaint from Mama Ngina saw Jaramogi losing his new job.

With her son Uhuru Kenyatta as the fourth President, the grand old dame remained a powerful figure. In the run up to the 2013 presidential elections that Mr Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto won, Aden Duales For the Record describes Mama Nginas role in a prayer rally against the International Criminal Court cases.

Mama Nginas revered space was only threatened by the wave Kenya Kwanza rode with into power, using their now famed call against dynasties.

The lowest was when some youths raided a Kenyatta-owned farm on Thika Road and looted sheep.

By the time Moi was ascending the presidency, their marriage had already gone south and looks like the two went to their graves with the reasons for the irretrievable breakdown. Before that Lena had been active in Mois life, especially when he was the vice president.

There has been speculations that Moi and Lena separated after she refused to participate in some social and political activities expected of the spouse of a powerful politician due to her strong Christian beliefs. There has been little proof of this.

Be that as it may, Moi was once quoted saying of Lena: I owe her much of my success in the service of my people and my country. She has always been an encouraging factor in all aspects of my political life.

Rev Paul Barnett, who had known both Moi and Lena, was perhaps privy to the couples problems. He was the only one who agreed to be quoted talking of Lena and the breakup, but only saying: It was for the best that they parted.

Lena left the vice presidents official residence at Nairobis Kabarnet Gardens and retreated to the couples Kabimoi ranch farm in Baringo. From here, she immersed herself into rural life, attending the local church, joining womens groups, and keeping out of the glare of the media that she had become used to.

With Moi settling elsewhere with their children, Lenas hope, according to Morton, was that Moi would return one day to the matrimonial home once he was done with politics. He wrote: Even today she keeps a room of the house as a shrine to her former husband, believing that when he sets aside the cares of high office, he will return...

This is how the respected The Economist wrote Lucy Kibakis obituary: She had once been a headmistress, and you could tell. Her lips seemed perpetually pursed in disapproval, and she could chill at a glance. Grown men, from the toughest political operator to the chefs who cooked her husbands food, quavered in her presence. For when Lucy Kibaki was in a temper, and she often was, there was no telling how things might unfold. The sack, a lash of the tongue, a public snub ostentatiously dealt, a flurry of fists; all were possible, unless you fled out of her way.

This description captures what Lucy is remembered for, despite her other social engagements as first lady. Her power was also never in doubt. In his book, Duale talks of how she invited