Kibaki mourns Evan Gicheru, CJ who swore him in in 2007
Former President Mwai Kibaki has paid tribute to the late retired Justice Evan Gicheru, who acrimoniously swore him in at dusk in 2007, as a “consummate public servant whose integrity, sense of rectitude and assiduousness were unsurpassed”.
In his condolence message, Mr Kibaki said the late justice distinguished himself as a firm yet honourable and impartial overseer of Kenya’s jurisprudential affairs.
He went on to point that in his many years of service, the late Gicheru espoused an uncontested and unwavering public-spiritedness for which he will be fondly remembered.
“I have learnt of the passing on of retired Chief Justice Evan Gicheru with utmost sadness. May the Almighty God grant his family and friends peace and comfort as they come to terms with this loss,” said the third President of Kenya, in a statement.
“The late Justice Gicheru leaves behind a richly bedecked legacy of service to the public wrought in humility and selflessness. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he added.
Justice Gicheru passed on Saturday morning aged 79 years.
The late Gicheru served as chief justice between 2003 and 2011 and is remembered for swearing in Mr Kibaki at night in 2007 after a highly contested General Election that would descend into post-election violence claiming the lives of more than 1,000 people and displacing thousands in the process.