Mzee Daniel Moi was finally laid to rest in a colorful state funeral on Wednesday.
Thousands of mourners thronged the Kabarak University grounds to bid the late Moi farewell. In the event, different personalities gave out all they knew about Moi thanks to the close engagements they were privileged to have with him.
Among the speakers that at some point moved the mourners with waves of laughter was Dr. Sally Kosgey, a former minister. She would leave many in stitches when she went on revealing some of the funniest moments she had with the late Moi.
Moi would always pursue different tacts to suppress anyone posing a kind of sabotage or blackmail to his rule.
For the first time, it was known that Moi plaid a role in ousting of a US high commissioner in the country whom he (Moi) accused of politicking too much in favor of the opposition.
“I am sure many people are not aware that the former president had to engage Washington behind the scenes and the ambassador was recalled,” Dr. Kosgei unearthed.
In another instance, a cabinet minister in the Moi government was relieved from duty after he showed up late at a dinner organized by the Queen of England, Elizabeth the 2nd.
The dinner was prepared in appreciation of the Kenyan delegation led by Moi who had graced a conference in London.
“The former president was upset and after the incident, those of us in Government started speculating that the said minister was in hot soup. After re-election, he was never reappointed,” She said.
Seen as a dictator and an autocrat locally, President Moi was recognized outside the borders with different heads of state admiring his wit and kind of leadership, always seeking his advice on different matters they were sure he knew better.
“Being an ambassador, I would always meet leaders who would tell me that Kenya was lucky to have a very polite president. Indeed, he was such a unifying figure that he managed to hold the country together,” Dr. Kosgei went on recalling.
Of all the things, Moi valued his trademark ‘Rungu’ which he would never leave behind regardless of the situation. The amazing part is that he used to have spares of them and whenever one broke or lost shape he would replace immediately.
Moi wielding his signature “Rungu”
Mr. Lee Njiru, a long-time aide to Mzee Moi, recalled how Moi had to postpone a trip to Australia just because his “Rungu” had dropped and broken.
Moi was in the company of a Kenyan delegation headed for Melbourne (Australia) for a Commonwealth meeting but that would not proceed until another “Rungu” was flown from Nairobi.
Despite the long stint in power and might, Moi hardly slept in State House. He mostly preferred the residence in Kabarnet Gardens in Nairobi, where he spent his life till death.
The Kabarnet Gardens was a reserved official residence of the Vice President but Moi preferred it the most, Kibaki’s government allowing him to live therein even after retirement.
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