Moi, Daniel Arap (1924–)

Daniel Toirtich Arap Moi was independent Kenya's third vice president after Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga and Joseph Murumbi. He later became the second president of the Republic after the death of Jomo Kenyatta in 1978. He adopted the slogan Nyayo, which is a Kiswahili word for “in his footsteps,” obviously indicating that he would follow the development path and maintain the political system introduced by Kenyatta.

Arap Moi was born on September 2, 1924, in the small village of Kurieng'or in Tugen Hills. He was a [Page 469]song of a shepherd who died when Moi was only 2 years old. He spent 20 years in education as student, student teacher, and teacher before entering politics as an African member of Legislative Council in 1955. He has always been described as a humble and dedicated Christian.

Kenya's seasoned politicians did not consider Moi to be presidential material. He was a Kalenjin, one of the smaller ethnic groups in Kenya. Moi was formally in KADU (Kenya African Democratic Party) before it merged with KANU (Kenya African National Union). During his time as vice president under Kenyatta, Moi functioned in the shadow of Kenyatta, performing ceremonial roles of very little political significance.

Though Moi was vice president, the Kikuyu politicians who were close to Kenyatta did not want him to ascend to power and attempted to change the Constitution in 1976, but they failed. Moi's presidency was slow and cautious in its early stages of tenure until he consolidated his own political base in the country and in the ruling party KANU. After consolidating his power, Moi became very vicious and ruthless to any dissenting voices.

Though a poor public speaker, Moi is remembered for his populist rhetoric and acts. He introduced the provision of free milk to schoolchildren and advocated national land reform. In his initial stages of his leadership, Moi appeared a true democrat. But by 1980 he started to become unpopular. From 1982, several amendments were made to the Constitution to strengthen Moi's rule and undermine democracy and good governance. Finally, under Moi, Kenya was legally converted to a workable one-party state. Under Moi, the Parliament became progressively weaker and the presidency more powerful.

In 1982, the airmen attempted a coup on the Moi government. In 1986 the opposition to Moi's rule was mounting by the day, both from clandestine movements and from the church. By 1991 the forces against Moi were becoming stronger, and Moi responded by detaining those who were agitating for the expansion of the democratic principles and space in Kenya. Moi hated the media and accused the media of fronting for the interests of foreigners. However Moi's dictatorial tendencies began to be checked after the amendment of section 2A of the Kenyan Constitution that allowed for multiparty democracy. However Moi (who Jaramogi Oginga Odinga described in his book Not Yet Uhuru as a giraffe with a long neck that sees far) once again outmaneuvered his opponents and was elected president in the first multiparty elections. He repeated the feat in 1997. His term ended in 2002.

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