Veteran politician John Keen was a close friend of former President Mwai Kibaki. He helped Kibaki when he was courting Lucy and encouraged the two to marry.
Talking to The Standard at his home in Karen when Kibaki's wife, Lucy, died in April this year, Keen remembered how his friendship with former Interior Minister Njenga Karume and Kibaki blossomed.
Their friendship began at pre-independence when he and Kibaki were in Kenya African National Union (Kanu). Kibaki was Kanu's executive officer while Keen was the party's national organising secretary.
"Kibaki was a cool man and was always busy but when he set his eyes on Lucy, he was love-stricken. Karume and I encouraged him and their love blossomed," Keen recalled.
He revealed that the three (Kibaki, Keen and Karume) then strategised how to win Lucy over so that Kibaki could marry her.
"The three of us would quietly go to Kamboi School where Lucy taught and lived and drive her away in our car to many social joints. She loved to be with us and she loved Kibaki," Keen said.
He revealed that Kibaki loved Lucy so much and his cool demeanor made it easy for their marriage to remain strong.
ALMOST CRASHED
"I remember in 1960 when I was driving my Volkswagen to Mombasa together with Kibaki to campaign for Kanu. We were almost crashed by an elephant and Kibaki's prayer was that we should not die and leave Lucy behind," he recalled.
Keen later left for the US but he kept communicating with Kibaki, who later married Lucy.
"When I returned, Karume and I were impressed that our efforts to link the two together had borne fruit and that they were happily living together.
Describing Lucy as a no-nonsense woman, Keen recalled that she became possessive and never wanted Kibaki to be away from her for a long time.
"She was outspoken, decisive and freely spoke her mind. She didn't like the idea of her husband being away from her. One day when Kibaki overstayed in Nyeri while she was in Nairobi, she ordered the Provincial Administration to look for him and bring him back to Nairobi," Keen noted.
He recalled a day when she almost confronted them (Keen and Kibaki) in Kibaki's office when she came across a letter to Kibaki from another woman.
Keen later joined Kibaki and formed the Democratic Party which he served as secretary general.
The former assistant minister said his friendship with the former First Family continued throughout their stay in State House.
"Her no-nonsense nature continued even at State House and that is why her 10 years there were marked with respect. I have many times visited Kibaki at State House but we preferred being alone and let her have her own time at her office," Keen said.
