• Jimmy said his father has been in his life for the entire 59 years saying "I will really really miss protection."
• He said Kibaki went beyond his larger than life political career to be a family man beyond reproach.
Image: DPPS
The late President Mwai Kibaki's son Jimmy has said his father's death is yet to hit him.
Speaking at Parliament Buildings on Monday, Jimmy revealed that the loss of his father is not easy considering the role he played in his life.
"He was a father and he was also a huge presence in my life. I don't think it has really even hit me that he is really gone," Jimmy said.
"I think maybe it will hit me when we bury him in Othaya on Saturday that he is not there anymore," he added.
Jimmy said his father has been in his life for the entire 59 years saying "I will really really miss protection."
"You know when your father is there you feel safe but now he is gone to be with the Lord and we have to learn to live with that," Jimmy said.
The scion said the large number of Kenyans who turned up to view the late president's body in Parliament was a demonstration that he meant a lot to them.
"We are encouraged to see the large turnout of Kenyans. I think he really uplifted the lives of Kenyans and they are here to show appreciation," Jimmy said.
He said Kibaki went beyond his larger than life political career to be a family man beyond reproach.
"Mzee was first and foremost a family man. Nothing interfered with his family life."
Jimmy revealed that in 2003, soon after the inauguration of his father as Kenya's third president, many state officials didn't understand that the late president put his family before public life.
He said it was only after they understood this that they learned to work smoothly with the president.
"So even in 2003, his grandchildren were always in State House even on a working day, if they were on school holiday, they were in State House.
"That's maybe what Kenyans don't know because normally for most politicians their political life is the most important thing," Jimmy said.
He said his father always envisioned a country where all its citizens are proud to be Kenyans and not just a few elites.
Jimmy said his father's mantra was that it's every Kenyan's duty to work towards the betterment of the country.
"You know most Kenyans think it is the government's duty to work for Kenya while they themselves work for themselves."
According to Jimmy, his father never took credit for the economic growth the country witnessed during his reign.
"He always reminded us that the economy during his presidency was built by Kenyans, not by him. He used to say one man cannot build an economy but Kenyans can build their country."
Jimmy said Mzee Kibaki had been ailing for about two or three years before his demise on Friday last week.
He said the last three months preceding his death were the most difficult but things took a turn for the worst in the last month.
"But he put up quite a good battle," Jimmy said, adding that age and other factors, at last, failed him.
Kibaki died aged 90.