Alan E Masakhalia: My Confession - I Miss Moi

To say that by mid 2002 I had grown tired of Moi would be an understatement; the truth is that I wanted him nowhere near power. Infact I even wanted him out of Nairobi and completely out of our lives. I concurred with those who asked him to pitch camp at Kabartonjo and look after goats.

Now I know better

With the benefit of hindsight I can now give credence to the saying "you never know the value of something until you lose it". That I would even be mentioning Moi's name years after I angrily voted him out baffles me.

But I have made up my mind – I wont suffer in silence, I must speak up,

I must confess - I miss Moi.

I bet you really must be wondering why I would be so passionate about a man, who only a few years ago we all loved to hate.

This is why

First, he handed over power to NARC peacefully and without a fuss. Now I know that it takes a real man to lose honourably

Moi was always in the spotlight. Simply put he was all over the place. He went anywhere and everywhere, commenting on anything and everything. But, at least we were always sure of who was running the country. I woke up everyday knowing who was really in charge and went to bed every evening not doubting as to who exactly was steering the country forward.

It is now that am realizing that he did infact have a lean government. Back then I was blind to this fact and we kept on criticizing his cabinet of 26 as being too large. Now we are contemplating 44

There was no RIFTY VALLEY MAFIA then.

It is now that am realizing that Moi's government had no sacred cows. Apart from Moi himself nobody else was above the law. In 1991 even Moi's ally – THE TOTAL MAN was arrested and sent to jail. (akala mahindi na maharagwe mabichi). Just like a father , all children were equal – and any mistake was punishable.

It is said that "power corrupts and that absolute power corrupts absolutely". Moi had a firm grip on his family so that none got drunk with power, none of his family members went on the rampage slapping and terrorizing citizens. He also never referred to fellow citizens as 'mavi ya kuku' or as 'kubaff'.

Moi led for 24 years until we took peace for granted. There was no single month in which 1500 Kenyans lost their lives – we could only see this on TV. No wonder others mistook the recent tribulations for Rambo movies.

Moi was indeed a great man. A man whose word at least meant something. A man who kept and honoured promises and gentlemen's agreements. A good example is the IPPG deal when Moi assured the opposition that they would also get a chance to select ECK commissioners. Moi honoured this promise. Others have to be pinned down into signing binding documents so as to be compelled to keep their word – and even then they keep applying delay tactics.

During his reign, there was no single day when the heavily armed military was unleashed on rioting citizens armed with only stones and whips.

Its also now that am realizing that Moi was indeed the peoples president. He spent the better part of his time coming up with projects that benefited the common man eg the Jua Kali sector, HELB, the NYS etc. He even personally helped build gabions to fight mumomonyoko wa udongo. Kenya even attempted to make a car – the Nyayo Pioneer. But now we are bombarded with concepts which the common man cant comprehend eg the dialectics of the stock market, the lowering of importation tariffs etc etc

Moi was always campaigning – he never operated from an ivory tower. He always popularized himself in Kakamega, Kwale, Kacheliba, Westlands, Nyatike, Butula ete etc. KANU was baba na mama at all times. He never waited until an election was 2 months away so as to form a party. He knew that you cant stay mum for 4years 8months and the out of the bleus form a new party, campaign for 2 months and then win. He knew that 2 months of campaigning would never deliver statehouse – not in Kenya.

You see why I miss Moi ?

If only God could bring him back

If only Kenyans could get him back in 2012 !!!!!!!!!!!