Martha Karua Mourns Father Mwalimu Jackson Karua’s Passing

Prominent Kenyan politician Martha Karua has announced the passing of her father, Mwalimu Jackson Karua.

In a statement released on X the former Justice Minister and Narc-Kenya leader confirmed that her father breathed his last shortly after she departed from visiting him in Kirinyaga.

According to the announcement, Karua had traveled to Kirinyaga earlier in the day to visit her father. During that visit, she and her siblings spent time with him and sang his favourite gospel hymn, unaware that it would be their final song together. “On my way back to Nairobi, I received the news that my beloved father had breathed his last,” Karua stated.

The statement described the late Mwalimu Jackson Karua as a principled man, a teacher, and a firm believer in the value of character, education, and doing what is right.

Karua credited her father as being one of her strongest supporters throughout her life. She noted that he believed in her long before she achieved any public acclaim, standing by her through her school days, her career in law, and her extensive public service.

“My father believed in me long before I had achieved anything worth celebrating,” she wrote. “He remained one of my strongest supporters, always proud, always encouraging, and always in my corner.“

In her tribute, Karua acknowledged the difficulty of saying goodbye to a parent. “There is never really an age at which you are prepared to say goodbye to someone who has been part of your life from the very beginning,” she said.

Reflecting on his legacy, she said, “I will miss his voice, his counsel, his encouragement, and the quiet reassurance of knowing that he was there,” she wrote. “I will miss having my father to turn to, but I will carry with me everything he taught me, the love he gave me, and the belief he always had in me.”