Michael Mundia Kamau                                                                                                                                                      P.O. Box 17510 00500                                                                                                                                              Enterprise Road                                                                                                                                                                  Nairobi Kenya                                                                                                                                                                      30th March 2002                             

CHAIRMAN MOI                                                                                                                                                          

  The most significant Kenyan Political event of the year 2002 took place on 18th March 2002 in the form of the historic merger of the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) , and the opposition National Development Party (NDP). The general election, when it comes, will be an endorsement of March 18th 2002. Much more significantly, March 18th 2002, represents the revision of Kenya's political landscape not just for election 2002, but for the next ten to fifteen years. Re-alignments of a very crucial nature have been set in place and shall be solidified over the coming years.

Election 2002 and to a large extent 2007, has been decided. It now appears almost certain that President Daniel arap Moi shall relinquish power as sheduled after the 2002 general elections and settle firmly in his role as chairman of the ruling party. Public speculation for a long time has been that Moi would galvanize a two thirds majority in parliament and change the constitution to allow him extended rule.

Judging by the outcome of March 18th 2002 and judging by manoeuvres to extensively increase the powers of the KANU chairman and reduce that of the president, this does not seem likely. It is further instructive that Moi as newly re-elected chairman of KANU, is deputised by four rather nondescript and inconsequential vice chairmen. President Moi is set to preside over the affairs of this country over the coming several years in his role as "Chairman of the Board".

Still in good health and still energetic, we are sure to hear and feel the presence of "Sharemani" (a local pronounciation of the word Chairman), over the coming years. One of the most spectacular casualties of the March 18th 2002 merger was without a doubt Vice President Professor George Saitoti a.k.a George Kinuthia Muthengi. Very few outsiders can credibly claim they saw Saitoti's fall coming, and I'm not one of them. The fact that Moi himself had to publicly shut down his vice president ("kimya professa") , is an indication that all has not been well behind the scenes. It is safe to conclude that Saitoti was being put to a test that he has miserably failed.

One very important aspect of African politics is that you should never confront, upstage or humiliate the Big Man in public. George Saitoti did just that on March 18th 2002 and one therefore wonders what atrocities he has been commiting behind the scenes. Daniel arap Moi himself underwent numerous trials as vice president, which he passed : removal of crucial state dockets from his portfolio, checks at road blocks, house searches by the Kenya Police which he was supposed to be head of, slaps from senior police officers he was supposed to be boss of, and occupation of the vice president's official seat by junior state officials / proxies at public functions.

In Andrew Morton's "Moi, the making of African Statesman", it is described how delegation upon delegation would be granted audience with President Kenyatta at State House, Nakuru, as vice president Moi waited his turn. As the day drew to a close, Kenyatta would ask the Provincial Commisioner (PC) , whether there was anyone remaining to see him, and the PC would sigh and reply, "Yes, just Moi". Kenyatta would then proceed to address Moi in kikuyu, "a language Moi followed with difficulty", and proceed on to be entertained by kikuyu traditional dancers with Moi by his side. Kenyatta invariably fell asleep half way through the entertainments with Moi still by his side. Welcome to Africa, Professor Saitoti. President Moi appears to be parting ways with his VP of 12 years, the same way he parted ways with his VP of 10 years, 14 years ago.

Who therefore is the chosen one ? Who therefore has Moi decided is capable of handling the rigours of African politics ? Only time will tell Daniel arap Moi in his vintage style, has moved two steps ahead of time, taking full advantage of our slumber. We had this coming, didn't we ? No one's really been focused on the issues and we are paying the price for this. The fact of the matter is that March 18th 2002, is part culmination of many years of scheming , underhand plotting, and re-aligning. The year 1994 will for instance, be best remembered for extensive de-controls and widespread liberalisation.

Exciting new possiblities emerged with the de-regulation of foreign exchange regimes, tight travel guidelines and general enhancement of free market policies. If ever there was a Kenyan dream team , it was that of Hon. Musalia Mudavadi and Micah Cheserem, Finance Minister and Central Bank Governor respectively, in those days. Suddenly, every other Kenyan was making frequent trips to Southern Africa, the Middle East, the Far East, and Europe. The good times were here. As we travelled by day, the political establishment met by night at the famed State House boiled maize evening eating sessions, assesing the situation. Eight years down the line, "The Dubai Express" is in heavy debt and reeling in anguish, as the political establishment concorts mergers, and still meets for the famed State House boiled maize evening eating sessions.

Even the severe economic recession that this country is reeling under, has been stage managed to ensure that we are soundly in check and immobilised for present and future years to come. Daniel Arap Moi is a man of action and fully capable of reversing the economic downturn. In the space of two years, he has played host to two US Secretaries of State from both sides of the political divide : Madeleine Albright in October 1999 and Colin Powell in May 2001. If this isn't performance, then I don't know what is.

Over the last three years, the US government has been constructing a State of the Art Embassy (read facility), on the outskirts of Nairobi, whose projected cost is two billion Kenya shillings (approx. US $ 25,000,000). The Americans appear intended on a major future presence in this country. It is Daniel arap Moi's regime that has facilitated this, an edifying statement of his importance and effectiveness.

Kenya today, and in particular the capital city Nairobi, is like a scene straight out of Antiquity : chaos, discord, corruption, desparation, bribery, uncertainty, insecurity, hustling. It will take about twenty years to get ourselves on the right track and focused, and twenty years is what anyone would want. Far from drawing to a close, the Kenyatta - Moi Axis is further entrenching itself in Kenya.

Prsident Moi has been travelling the globe rather extensively over the past few years in a manner reminiscent of the early years of his presidency. In the early years of his presidency, we would make notes of where he hadn't been to, rather than where he had been to. Then as of now, Moi was building crucial alliances for the future. The difference of course, is that Moi then was forging useful contacts that would solidify his presidency as opposed to now, when he is forging useful contacts that will solidify his life in retirement. Moi has also been warmly hosted by two US presidents from both sides of the political divide over the past two years : Bill Clinton in February 2000 and George Bush in November 2001. Moi indeed looks set for high profile international assignments after retirement, that will rank him alongside Nelson Mandela, Quett Masire and Jerry Rawlings, as a distinguished retired African Statesman. "Baba Mupendwa" ("Our beloved President"), is on a roll.

One of Moi's fortes as always, will be his connectivity with the people. Many fondly remember how he would stop his motorcade in the early years of his presidency to "meet the people". I was party to several such encounters through which Moi moved millions with his humility. At such gatherings , Moi delivered many inspiring talks that spurred Nationalism and Patriotism. The admiration and awe that the public had for Moi in the initial years however turned into hatred and detest. Before the 1992 general election, I was in a group of people that hurled insults and derision at President Moi, telling him that his time was up. The presidential escort was furious but he restrained them, smiling nonchalantly at us. Ten years down the line, most of us that were in the said mob of '92 are on our knees, and even if we wanted to, we cannot re-enact the scene.

As recently as three years ago during his address to the Nation on Kenyatta Day, and at the time of the threatened strike by teachers, he resoundingly displayed this erstwhile humility when he made an appeal to "Waalimu Wenzangu" ("My Fellow Teachers"). At the state opening of parliament this year, Moi took the initiative and trouble to approach, greet and chat up leading opposition figure Hon. James Orengo in a gesture that pleasantly caught many off guard. He is however watching and observing, from which the chosen successor shall emerge. All the apparently childish gimmicks he has pulling off lately are designed to accomplish a purpose.

When he landed in Nairobi from a US trip in November last year and immediately boardeda flight to attend a graduation ceremony at Egerton University, one can be sure he made a careful check of who was with him on the flight to Nakuru, and who opted to take a breather. When he further recently sprung a surprise by changing the check out point for Kenya's delegation to the Commonwealth Summit in Australia from the Presidential Pavillion to Unit 2 of Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta Airport, one can be sure he carefully noted the response. Kenyatta observed him, now he observes.

One Man's triumph is however the misery of 29,999,999 other Kenyans. Three generations of Kenyans have been lost, and if we are not careful, a fourth one is on it's way. As Moi has moved on, the rest of us have receded. The year 1994 witnessed widespread economic liberalisation in as much as the year 1992 witnessed the institution of widespread press freedoms. It was ecstatic to pubicly read brutal accounts of state misdeeds in the early years of relaxed press controls, especially for those, like myself, who belonged to multiple generations that considered this a far cry.

I remember reading "The Africans" in December of 1985 in silent subdued terror, fearful of the dreaded Special Branch, Kenya's version then of Papa Doc's "Tonton Macoutes", and Amin's "State Research Bureau". The novelty of "seditious publications" has however long worn off. The government is aware that that many Kenyans cannot afford twenty Kenya shillings (approx. 25 US cents), on a publication, and even if they did, they're ineffective. Publications though are very important, as they document events.

A number of years back , I was rummaging through old stuff in search of a misplaced document and came across old editions of publications such as "Joe Magazine", "Nairobi Times", "Viva", "Weekly Review", "Drum", "True Love", and "Men Only", and was drawn to an article in "True Love" that reminisced a nasty road accident in Nairobi in 1974, where the purported rescuers looted the victims of valuables. Nothing has really changed in Kenya, it's only gotten worse. It's only gotten worse because we've been chasing the wrong values. We've never given ourselves a chance and have been continously chasing the White and Asian dream. After de-segregation, many Africans justifiably rushed to put their children in institutions such as Prince of Wales (today's Nairobi School), Duke of York ( today's Lenana School), Delamare Girls (today's State House Girls High School), and Duke of Gloucester (today's Jamhuri High School). But the White and Asian Nations moved on to Hillcrest School, Rusinga School, Oshwal High School and Aga Khan Academy.

We are chasing an elusive dream and it's time to build our dream, the Black Dream. The epic Devonshire White Paper of 1923 explicitly stated that "Kenya was primarily an African country, in which the interests of the natives were to be held paramount". Many of us natives do not how much we owe Colonial Secretary Devonshire. The Devonshire White Paper, if nothing more, should be the guiding light this Nation. The Deonshire White Paper, like the US first ammendment and Bill of Rights beforehand, must be point of reference in this country's endeavours, otherwise we should revoke it posthumously. Even in this unsettling times and given the proverbial second chance, many of us would still choose to be born Kenyan, regardless of tribe, but Kenyan.

That's just how deeply many of us feel for our roots, and just how seriously we are called upon to start addressing the plight of this Nation. From one of us must and will emerge the epitomy of a Kenyan, proud of his heritage, aware of his past and ready for the future. From us needs to emerge the personification of standards, the future, "Bakenya" ("Patriots"), "Bakulu" ( "Leaders"). From us needs to emerge Kenya. Michael Mundia Kamau