Jimmy Kibaki is the first-born son of the late Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and late Lucy Kibaki. He was born on 30 April 1959.
He attended St Mary’s School in Nairobi and studied political science and administration at Salve Regina University.
Despite studying political science, he primarily became a businessman and did not take a career as a politician.
Jimmy is associated with business ventures, which include links to Odibets, a betting company in Africa.
After his university studies abroad, he returned to Kenya around 1988 to actively start doing business.
Has occasionally shown interest in politics, but never fully committed. He described Kenyan politics as “hectic and noisy”, indicating reluctance to fully engage.
He joined The New Democrats (TND) in 2021 and became Deputy Party Leader and later resigned in 2024 to focus on family and business matters.
The TND is one of the smaller political parties in Kenya, created to offer an alternative, people-centred leadership approach focused on governance and development.
He was a voice for the family during his father’s days of illness and even after his death in 2022. Despite being the spokesperson in the family, he has generally kept a low-profile and private life.
One of his notable moments came when he spoke publicly after President Kibaki’s death, giving insight into his final days, and he is also frequently representing the Kibaki family at official or memorial events.
He is married to Sherly Anne, a former schoolmate, and they have three children together who are Mwai Kibaki Jr, Sean Andrew and Emma Ngini.