ANB-BIA SUPPLEMENT

A lookback at the 30 December 2002 events, when Kenya’s outgoing President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi handed over power to the country’s third president, Mr. Mwai Kibaki

At a ceremony held at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park and attended by an estimated crowd of half a million, including five other African Heads of Government and State, Moi handed over the mantle of power amidst humiliating jeers and pro-Kibaki songs from the ecstatic crowd. Arriving at the dais shortly after President-elect Mwai Kibaki, the outgoing President was booed and as he stood saluting while the national anthem was sung, scores of missiles (mud and stones) were hurled at the dais by the excited crowd. It was obvious from the public mood, that many Kenyans perceived Moi’s exit as good riddance.

In his acceptance speech, President Mwai Kibaki said nothing good about the 24-year Moi era. He elaborated on his government’s commitment to honour the pledges made to Kenyans during the heated campaign period. He thanked them for electing him and ushering in change. Mr. Kibaki outlined what a responsible government should be, and condemned the corruption propagated by the outgoing government, which has given rise to widespread poverty and misery among the population.

He said: «The government should never be a burden to the citizens. A responsible government should be instrumental in formulating and reinforcing policies that are for the general good of the whole nation.». Most analysts and critics viewed the speech as a direct attack on Moi’s government.

It should be recalled that Mr. Kibaki swept to power with 64% of the vote, as against Moi’s handpicked preferred successor, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, who only received 28% of the vote. In Parliament, Kibaki’s National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) swept the board with 67% of seats as against the Kenya African National Union (KANU)’s 24%.

Mr. Kibaki’s success in the polls marked a significant step in independent Kenya’s political history. For the first time, the ruling KANU lost the presidency and control of the House. Kibaki’s victory was also significant in that Moi, the self-acclaimed professor of politics, bowed out of the scene having lost his Midas touch. The people rejected Moi’s hand-picked successor, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, and Moi’s 24 year stint as Head of State and Government.

Many Kenyans were not voting against Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, but against any attempts to extend the Moi system. Voting against Mr. Kenyatta was generally viewed as getting rid of Moi.

Moi’s most costly mistake seemed to have arisen from the moment he handpicked Mr. Kenyatta as his preferred successor, and continued to insist that he, Moi, would continue to exercise a powerful leverage over national affairs by retaining KANU‘s chairmanship. Moi even conveniently amended KANU‘s constitution, in order to amass more power in the hands of the party chairman — powers that would relegate the party’s presidential candidate (once he had won the presidency), to becoming Moi’s virtual puppet.

Public wrath

The public’s wrath was clear in their clamour for change. Kenyans blamed all their woes on KANU‘s misrule, and were determined that only a change of leader and change of government could rescue them from the morass. So, when it finally dawned on Kenyans that Moi was «out», the excited crowds could no longer retain their excitement and anger. The crowd viewed Moi as the evil in their past. No one seemed to have any time even to reflect on the fact that Moi had led the state for 24 years.

An attempt by Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni to praise Moi as a democrat, who had accepted the democratic wishes of Kenyans by handing over power peacefully to President Kibaki, was met with wild jeers that forced him to change the topic of his speech — from praising Moi to thanking Kenyans in general for conducting themselves peacefully during the election period.

As Moi moved into retirement, he left office obviously an embittered man. After serving his country in the highest office for more than two decades, all the appreciation he could get were jeers and mud hurled at him from all sides. What a «thank you»!

• James Pod, Kenya, January 2003 — © Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment