Karua announces death of her father Jackson

Karua said her father died on Sunday after she and her siblings had spent time with him at his home in Kirinyaga earlier in the day.

She said they sang his favourite gospel hymn during the visit, unaware that it would be their last song together.

“On my way back to Nairobi, I received the news that my beloved father had breathed his last,” Karua said.

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She described the final moments with her father as a source of gratitude despite the loss, saying she was grateful that she had been able to sit beside him and spend time with him before his death.

“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.

Karua said her father supported her throughout her life, from her school days and law career to her public life.

She described him as a principled man, teacher and strong believer in character, education and doing what is right.

“But to us, above all, he was a loving father, steady, generous, and present,” Karua said.

She said her father’s death was a profound loss to his children, grandchildren, wider family and the many people whose lives he touched.

Karua said she would miss his voice, counsel and encouragement, as well as the reassurance of knowing he was there for her.

“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,” she said.

The former presidential candidate also thanked her father for believing in her and supporting her throughout her life.

“To my father, thank you for believing in me, for standing beside me, and for loving me through every chapter of my life,” Karua said.

The death comes days after Karua celebrated her 69th birthday.

She ended her tribute with a message in Kikuyu to her father: “Huruka thayu, baba.”

“You will be deeply missed, dearly loved, and forever remembered,” she said.