President William Ruto and a host of leaders from across Kenya’s political divide have sent messages of condolence to People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua following the death of her father, Mwalimu Jackson Karua.
Mwalimu Karua died on Sunday, September 27, 2026, after a final family visit in Kirinyaga during which Martha and her siblings spent time with him and sang one of his favourite gospel hymns. Karua said she learnt of his death while travelling back to Nairobi.
The death has brought together leaders from both the government and opposition camps, with President Ruto and Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka among those who have publicly mourned the veteran educator.
In his condolence message, President Ruto described Mwalimu Karua as a dedicated teacher who devoted his life to education and service.
“I have received with deep sorrow the news of the passing of Mwalimu Jackson Karua, father of Martha Karua,” Ruto said.
The President said the late educator touched generations through his work and left a lasting impact on many lives.
“We join Martha, the Karua family, relatives and friends in mourning this loss and honouring a life of service,” Ruto said, while praying for strength and comfort for the bereaved family.
Kalonzo consoles ‘Iron Lady’
Kalonzo Musyoka was among the opposition leaders who joined the family in mourning.
The Wiper Patriotic Front leader described Mwalimu Karua as the beloved father of Martha Karua and extended his condolences to the PLP leader, her siblings and the wider family.
Addressing Karua as his sister, Kalonzo acknowledged the difficult moment she was facing and urged her and her family to remain strong.
“My sister Martha, you have always been our Iron Lady, a woman of remarkable courage and strength. During this deeply painful moment, I pray that you and your family remain strong,” Kalonzo said.
He urged the family to draw comfort from the life their father lived, the values he instilled in his children and the memories they shared with him.
Kalonzo’s message was part of a wider wave of condolences from opposition figures and other political leaders following the death.
Opposition leaders join mourning
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua also sent his condolences, saying his family joined Karua and her siblings in mourning their father.
Gachagua highlighted Mwalimu Karua’s role in shaping the lives of the children he taught as well as raising Martha and her siblings.
Former Attorney General Justin Muturi, former Chief Justice David Maraga, Siaya Governor James Orengo, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah were also among leaders who sent messages of condolence.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i described the deceased as an educator and devoted father whose values were reflected in his children and the many people whose lives he touched.
Matiang’i urged the Karua family to draw strength from Mwalimu Karua’s life, the values he instilled and the memories he left behind.
PLP mourns patriarch
The People’s Liberation Party, which is led by Martha Karua, also issued a condolence message mourning Mwalimu Jackson Karua as a father, educator and mentor.
In a statement signed by Secretary General Asha Bashir and dated September 27, the party conveyed its condolences to Karua, the Karua family, PLP members, supporters and friends.
The party said the death represented a profound loss to the family and to the many people who had been influenced by the deceased through his career in education.
“As an educator, he touched and shaped many lives through the knowledge, discipline, guidance and values he imparted to the many children he taught and mentored throughout his years of service,” PLP said.
The party said his contribution to education would remain reflected in the lives of the people and communities he influenced.
“The lessons he imparted, the lives he shaped and the values he stood for constitute a lasting legacy,” the statement said.
Karua remembers father’s influence
In her own tribute, Karua described her father as a principled teacher who believed in education, character and doing what was right.
She said he remained one of her strongest supporters from her school days, through her legal career and throughout her public life.
“My father believed in me long before I had achieved anything worth celebrating,” Karua said.
She described him not only as a teacher but as a loving, steady and generous father who remained present in the lives of his children.
“He gave us not only his love but also the values by which he lived, and in doing so, left us a legacy far greater than words can capture,” she said.
Karua said the final visit to her father in Kirinyaga had given her and her siblings precious memories despite the grief that followed.
She recalled that the family sang his favourite gospel hymn without knowing that it would be their last song together.
“On my way back to Nairobi, I received the news that my beloved father had breathed his last,” she said.
She said she would miss his voice, counsel and encouragement, but would carry forward the lessons and love he gave her.
A life remembered through education
The messages from Ruto, Kalonzo and other leaders have centred largely on Mwalimu Karua’s life as an educator, father and mentor.
His death has consequently been remembered not only as a personal loss to the Karua family but also as the passing of a teacher whose influence extended to generations of learners.
For PLP, his legacy is inseparable from the values of education, discipline, service and family that he passed to his children and those he taught.
As the Karua family begins the mourning process, messages continue to come from political leaders, friends and Kenyans across the political divide.
The family is expected to communicate further details concerning funeral arrangements.
Mwalimu Jackson Karua leaves behind a legacy rooted in family, education and service, with his daughter Martha Karua and those he taught carrying forward the values he championed throughout his life.
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