Fare thee well, ‘Sir’ Charles Njonjo
Former Attorney General Charles Mugane Njonjo, who died yesterday aged 101, was one of the Republic of Kenya’s founding fathers. He was the last surviving member of President Jomo Kenyatta’s independence Cabinet where he also served as a key legal advisor.
In every sense, Njonjo has been a central player in Kenya’s political history. The Alliance High School alumnus was known for his legendary British mannerisms that defined his approach to life and relationships with people.
A strong believer in constitutionalism, Njonjo is credited for laying a firm foundation for the country’s institutions and rule of law.
Loved and loathed in equal measure, the former AG is hailed for rising above ethnic jingoism and defending constitutionalism that led to the peaceful transfer of power to President Daniel arap Moi after Kenyatta’s death in 1978.
Njonjo had resisted a well-choreographed campaign by a section of Mt Kenya political elite to block Moi, who was then Vice-President, from succeeding Kenyatta.
This was a major feat for a country on a continent that was characterised by political instability. Because of his resistance, Kenya continued to be an anchor of stability and exporter of peace in a troubled region.
As President Uhuru Kenyatta, Njonjo and his generation of independence-era leaders laid a solid foundation upon which Kenya continues to thrive.
But like every human being, Njonjo had what Nikolai Gogol describes in The Government Inspector his “little share of failings.”
After Kenyatta’s death, Njonjo had moved quickly to cement his influence around Moi, an experiment that ended disastrously with allegations of plotting to overthrow the President. With this, his descent to political oblivion had been sealed.
He also stands heavily criticised for entrenching a set of constitutional reforms blamed for aiding suppression of democracy.
These include declaration of Kenya as a single-party State and the infamous Chief’s Act that the Moi regime used to crack down on its opponents.
Some of the laws would later be used against him after he fell out of favour with the Moi government. But give it to him, Njonjo fought his enemies with resilience and decency.
An astute and charitable businessman, Njonjo retired to private life, a lesson that there can be a future after politics and that one can embrace his former opponents.
Fare thee well Sir Charles, the Duke of Kabeteshire. As Shakespeare would say, whence cometh such another?
