Uhuru Kenyatta Muigai is the son of the first president of Kenya, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. He is also the fourth president of the country having won the general election that was conducted in March 2013.
Biography of Uhuru Kenyatta
Uhuru was born in October 1961 to Jomo’s fourth wife, Mama Ngina Kenyatta. He attended St Mary’s School in Nairobi where he completed his “A” Levels before leaving for Amherst College, USA, to study Political Science and Economics. He graduated in 1985.
Upon his graduation, Uhuru returned to Kenya and ventured into business, starting a number of companies including Wilham Kenya Limited, a company that sources for and exports agricultural produce.
His first foray into politics came in 2001 when he was nominated to Parliament and became Minister for Local Government under President Daniel Arap Moi. After that, Uhuru held several government positions including the office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministry of Finance.
Family
Uhuru Kenyatta has always kept the inner dealings of his marriage and family private as very little is known about them.
Wife
Mr Kenyatta is married to Margaret Wanjiru Gakuo, who he describes as his best friend. She is the daughter of the former Kenya Railways general manager, Dr E.N. Gakuo.
The couple got married formally in 1991 and have three children: Jomo, Ngina and Muhoho.
Children: Sons and Daughter
Jomo, named after his grandfather, is the couple’s eldest son. He was born on April 8, 1990. He attended the prestigious Hilton College and Michael House in KwaZulu Natal Midlands in South Africa.
Jomo Kenyatta is currently married to his long-time girlfriend Fiona Achola Ngobi.
Muhoho is the couples’ second child with daughter Ngina, the last.
Net Worth
Uhuru Kenyatta has a lot of inheritance from his father. His father had a lot of wealth given the fact that he was the first president of the Republic of Kenya.
According to statistics released in 2011, Uhuru ranks among the top 40 richest individuals in Africa. His family owns at least 500,000 acres of prime land spread across Kenya together with myriads of businesses including Brookside Dairies, Kenya’s largest dairy company, television station K24 and a commercial bank in Nairobi.
Uhuru Kenyatta Net Worth is at around $500 Million or Ksh. 50 Billion.
His Name Means Freedom
The name Uhuru in Kiswahili stands for freedom. This is a name that was given by his father at a time when the Kenyan people were under the rule of the British. This is the time when freedom was desperately needed hence the name Uhuru. To date, numerous institutions and infrastructures have been named Uhuru.
He Has Worked As A teller
Just like any other presidents, Uhuru Kenyatta’s early life saw him occupy different positions before officially joining politics. Uhuru worked for Kenya Commercial bank as a teller from 1979 to 1980.
He Was Former President Moi’s Preferred Successor
Former President Daniel Arap Moi always had a soft spot for Uhuru. He nominated him as an MP in 2001 and later appointed him as the minister for local government. This was seen as a favour from the president because Uhuru was politically inexperienced at that time. In the 2002 presidential elections, Moi decided to choose Uhuru as his successor but he lost to Mwai Kibaki in the presidential election.
Uhuru Was Part Of ODM
As a leader of KANU, Uhuru Kenyatta made a strong opposition to the draft constitution that was to be denied in 2005. This was the first time that he teamed up with Raila Odinga to oppose the constitution. Their unity led to the birth of the Orange Democratic Movement.
Uhuru Is An ICC Suspect
Despite being the incumbent president of Kenya, Uhuru is a suspect at the international criminal court and he is currently on trial. After the disputed 2007 election, Uhuru is believed to have organized retaliatory attacks against the Luo and Luhya communities that lived in Naivasha and Nakuru. Even though there has been no direct evidence to link him to the killings, The ICC strongly believes that he masterminded the killings with heavy backing from senior government officials from the Kikuyu community. On December 15th, he was named among the 6 prime suspects by prosecutor Moreno Ocampo.
Remarkable School Life
Kenyatta attended St Mary’s school that is located in Nairobi. It was one of the most prestigious schools of that time. Uhuru later attended Amherst College in the USA. He graduated and returned to Kenya to manage the family business empire.
He Lost A Nephew In The Westgate Mall Attack
President Uhuru was among the Kenyans who lost their loved ones in the Westgate mall attack. His nephew, Mwangi Mbugua was shot together with his fiancé Rosemary Wahito and they both died. This was one of the darkest yet difficult times for the Uhuru government that was still new in office.
He Is A Family Man
President Uhuru Kenyatta is a family man. He is happily married to his longtime sweetheart Margaret Kenyatta. They have three children namely; Jaba, Jomo and Ngina Kenyatta. President Uhuru Kenyatta’s rise to the presidency could not have come at a better time when his political career was almost being swallowed by the ICC. Nonetheless, despite all the controversies and accusations, he is still a great leader and one who is adored by many young Kenyans. He is now the youngest president the Republic of Kenya has ever had.