Margaret Kenyatta Turns 61: Kenyans Shower Ex-First Lady with Birthday Wishes
- Former president Uhuru Kenyatta's wife, Margaret, turned 61, and Kenyans were full of praise for her
- Margaret, the daughter of Njuguna Gakuo, Kenya Railways' first African managing director, is known for her passion for improving maternal and child health
- Numerous Kenyans praised her ageless appearance, while others said that they miss her
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Kenyans have celebrated Margaret Kenyatta as she marks her birthday.
Source: UGC
The former first lady turned 61 on Tuesday, April 8, prompting an outpouring of love for her.
Who is Margaret Kenyatta?
Njuguna Gakuo, Margaret’s father, was Kenya Railways' first African managing director in 1964.
He earned a PhD in Economics from Frelberg University in Germany and taught African studies at Delhi University. Gakuo married a German wife, Magdallena, who is Margaret's mother.
Gakuo, an alumnus of Alliance High School, also served as the East African Tobacco Company secretary and director general of East African Railways and Harbours.
During his time at Kenya Railways, he secured significant World Bank funding for expanding rail services. This helped modernise the fleet, transitioning from steam to diesel locomotives and increasing passenger numbers. He died in 2005.
In November 2024, Margaret also lost her brother, William Gakuo.
Margaret, a Kianda School alumna, is the mother of Jomo, Jaba, and Ngina, and her legacy project was the Beyond Zero Campaign to improve maternal and child health in Kenya.
The last time Margaret was seen in public was in July 2024 in New York.
She delivered a speech about her Beyond Zero campaign at the Global First Ladies Academy Programme in New York, USA. The VIP dinner event was organised by the Global First Ladies Alliance in collaboration with the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health.
Source: Twitter
Here are some of the messages from Kenyans to Margaret:
the_fruit_she_is:
“She is so beautiful.”
kinya1450:
“Alas, I share a birthday with this beautiful girl. Happy birthday, 1st lady.”
pappy.ke_:
"We used to have a baddie as a first lady."
maharaj_javier:
“First lady, may the Almighty God bless you.”
qharyam76:
“A very decent lady.”
linky_wendy:
“We miss them, our soft life.”
jento_janny:
“Since you left, we have suffered a lot, but happy birthday, mother.”
chelagat_tuiya:
“Huyu dem hukuwa keki manze.”
Jackboyke:
“The older you get, the more your body shows off your bad habits. By the time you turn 30, you either look 25 or 40.”
the_real_idler:
“Help me wish my mother a happy birthday.”
How did the younger Margaret Kenyatta look?
In 2024, a video captured in the 1990s during national celebrations at Nyayo Stadium showed Margaret’s beauty.
In the video, she sat next to her high school sweetheart and future husband, Uhuru, with other dignitaries, including her mother-in-law, Mama Ngina Kenyatta.
Margaret wore stylish full-rimmed sunglasses, a Princess Diana-inspired pixie cut, a white dress, and elegant pearl drop earrings.
Uhuru exuded sophistication in a sharp suit, a neatly groomed goatee, and medium-length hair that became his signature look as president.
In response to the video, Kenyans named her one of Kenya’s most attractive first ladies.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
