The second and the longest serving former President of Kenya Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi was laid to rest at his Kabarak home today. It was an eventful ceremony, politicians of the highest caliber in the country were in attendance to bid farewell to Kenya’s ‘professor’ of politics.
Moi was ‘bad’ during his time. He wasn’t a good speaker like the current test tube politicians but he was smooth, accurate and effective whenever he pulled a move. His son Senator Gideon Moi eulogized him father as a lover of wrestling. He was sort of a bully, ‘politically’ but he also mentored many.
The assembly speakers, two vice presidents and the president but nearly every top politician in Kenya today went through Moi’s hands. Politics would be spoken but it is sad how some people played it at the funeral.
The political tune was set by the late president’s son, Hon. Raymond Moi. At some point he emphasized that he was behind BBI championed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga. BBI is the loud song around town now, only fallen general’s trumpet paused but it will resume play.
Other than celebrating the life of a retired statesman who was living a good life, Moi’s last salute was marked by politics. He was a politician anyway.
The former Prime Minister Raila Odinga defended dynasties saying that they too rose from scratch. That was a jab to hit DP William Ruto who did not respond but ignoered. DP has always displayed that he doesn’t like being in the ‘BBI mood’ because no one is opposing that document officially. But even before these shenanigans, the usual Kenyan politics had snaked in.
Many speakers urged Baringo Senator Gideon Moito begin playing in the top league and keep the family’s political name alive and vibrant.His brother Raymond even gifted him with ‘rungu’ he had just been given by the Kalenjin elders. That among other things crowned the ceremony that showcased beautiful military pomp and salutations. In this occasion, President eulogized Moi as A giant son of Africa who deserves to rest in peace.
Politician just found away to mess the script. When ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi expressed it that Mzee was loving as a father but strict as a boss, President Kenyatta countered him by saying that Mzee was strict and tough, he needed results.
COTU leader Francis Atwoli assured Gideon support to keep Mzee’s name alive because’ that they have is from Mzee Moi. Senator Moses Wetangula spoke at the occasion where
many politicians of his caliber did not, the schedule was that fixed and Mzee was known for being a good time keeper.
On top of that, he picked and mentored brains and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula made a cut to the list like that. A call that his secretary could not handle instructed him to get into politics and his star has been shining ever since.
Wetangula is a bright fellow and that is not a rumour in town. He spoke at the former president’s burial, Kalonzo Musyoka spoke with a diplomatic tone. The former vice president knew Moi and he expressed it from the ‘soul’. That was a statesman and a decorated diplomat mourning a giant son of Africa. Kalonzo said Mzee was poetic, he spoke in parables, he loved music and he was a fellow full of fun and laughter.
That connection is deep and was sincerely expressed.
Odinga’s chant and with his signature whisk will be a cut way in many stories, it was a rare fusion of tradition and modernity in mourning a general who many whispered had clocked over a century.
But his serious and ‘emotional’ defense for the dynasties was expressed in a ‘political’ tone. Ruto should be his ‘boy’ enjoying his support, he should not snub him and exchange ‘BBI and 2022 feelings’ at the former president’s burial.
