What led to the fall out between Mzee Moi and Koigi
Veteran politician Koigi Wamwere.
“I will miss absolutely nothing” these were the sentiments of veteran politician Koigi Wamwere when asked what he will miss from Mzee Daniel Toroitich Moi.
For someone who had been imprisoned without trial these views were very understandable considering the person being spoken about is the same person you accuse of the wrongful imprisonment that lasted for a period of nine years.
Taking a look at the history books one could deduce that The Former President, Daniel Moi and Koigi never saw eye to eye.
The most memorable highlight must have come after Koigi clinched the Nakuru North Parliamentary seat in 1979. At that time the Nakuru North constituency consisted of Rongai, Subukia and Bahati.
Wamwere by this time was known to be a radical as some would say, and the fact that he represented Rongai, which covered President Moi’s Kabarak home did not sit well with many of those in President Moi’s inner circle.
Moi’s point person Nicholas Biwott approached Koigi Wamwere in a bid to try and come to terms with him regarding the seat he held. In the altercation between the two, Biwott gave an example of Former President Jomo Kenyatta’s home Gatundu being represented by a Kalenjin.
He even told Koigi that he would compensate him but he must leave the office by any means necessary. Still, Koigi was reluctant.
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As time went by, he became a huge thorn in the flesh of Moi’s inner circle.
This resulted to them employing some very unconventional methods to try and de-popularize Koigi in his own constituency.
The President would visit Koigi’s constituency without his knowledge and hold functions from there.
Koigi on his end came up with ways to try and counter this. He would camp outside hotels that were frequented by the President’s escorts just to get one of them to give him intel of the President’s program.
According to Koigi, Moi offered him a cabinet position but he declined since he had already been elected as the M.P and he wanted to serve his constituents.
Soon after he was detained. This made it very easy for the seat to be taken away from him.