Former Deputy Presidential running mate Martha Karua is mourning the death of her father, Mwalimu Jackson Karua, whom she has described as a strong supporter and a major influence throughout her life.

In a statement issued following his death, Karua said she had visited her father in Kirinyaga earlier in the day together with her siblings.

“Earlier today, I went to Kirinyaga to visit my father,” Karua said.

“My siblings and I spent time with him and sang his favourite gospel hymn, never knowing it would be our last song together.”

Karua said she learnt of her father’s death while travelling back to Nairobi.

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

The former Justice Minister said the family was grateful for the opportunity to spend time with him shortly before his death.

“We were simply grateful to sit beside him, to see him and spend that time together,” she said.

“I did not know I would soon be looking back on those moments with such tenderness, but I am deeply grateful to have them.”

‘There is never really an age’

Reflecting on the loss, Karua said losing a parent is difficult regardless of age.

“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 described her father as one of her strongest supporters, saying his encouragement began long before she became a prominent public figure.

“My father believed in me long before I had achieved anything worth celebrating,” she said.

“From my school days, through my career in law, and through the many chapters of my public life.”

“He remained one of my strongest supporters, always proud, always encouraging, and always in my corner,” she added.

Karua remembers father as teacher and principled man

Karua said her father was a teacher and a principled man who placed a strong emphasis on character and education.

“My father was a principled man, a teacher, and a man who believed deeply in the value of character, education, and doing what is right,” she said.

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

According to Karua, her father left his children more than memories, passing on values that will continue to guide the family.

“He gave us not only his love but also the values by which he lived,” she said.

“And in doing so, left us a legacy far greater than words can capture.”

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

“His passing is a profound loss to all of us, to his children, grandchildren, our wider family, and to the many people whose lives he touched,” she said.

“We will each feel his absence in our own way, but we will also carry forward the lessons he gave us and the love that held our family together.”

‘I will miss his voice, his counsel’

Karua also reflected on the personal absence her father's death will leave in her life.

“I will miss his voice, his counsel, his encouragement, and the quiet reassurance of knowing that he was there,” she said.

“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.”

In her final tribute, Karua thanked her father for standing by 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,” she said.

“I am deeply grateful to have been your daughter.”

Karua concluded her message with a farewell to her father.

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

“With Love Always, Martha Karua.”