Ex-President’s family c*mes out strongly at Nyayo event
The family of the late retired President Daniel Arap Moi has eulogised him as a forgiving and humorous person.
His sons Raymond and Gideon also described their father as a gentleman full of compassion.
“Our father was a gentleman, not in the impeccable manner he dressed but in his attitude.
His word was his bond, he valued loyalty and decency, he taught us to do the right thing,” Senator Gideon told mourners at the Nyayo National Stadium during the national funeral for his father.
Senior Moi was an impeccable dresser, always adorning Saville Row suits.
The senator said despite Moi being a politician with a busy schedule, he found time to be a wonderful father to his children besides having a great sense of humour and “elephantine memory”.
Unknown to Kenyans, Gideon also revealed his father’s love and great appetite for meat, specifically ribs sending the mourners to laughter.
At one time, he disclosed he had cautioned his father to go easy on meat consumption as advised and instructed by a doctor but his father asked him: “Umeona daktari hapa? (Do you see a doctor here?)”
“Huyu Mzee alikua anapenda nyama (This old man loved meat) Nothing came in between him and his meat, especially the ribs,” he told the amused mourners.
He said apart from watching renowned American televangelist, Billy Graham, Moi loved wrestling and was a big fan of ‘Big Daddy’.
The younger Moi tickled mourners when he recounted how he wrecked his father’s new car which he had taken without his knowledge.
Gideon narrated that though his driving skills did not match his enthusiasm, he could not resist the temptation to take the brand new car for a spin.
“Unfortunately, my driving skills then, did not match my enthusiasm, and the new car was shortly no more,” he said.
Dreading the likely consequences of his actions, Gideon decided to carry a Bible in one hand as he entered his father’s room, where the old was seated and said he was already aware of the matter.
“As I entered his room, he looked at me, shook his head and burst into laughter,” adding, that was the end of the matter.
Strict disciplinarian
Moi’s family which included his daughters, in-laws, grandsons and daughters arrived at the stadium at 9.08am, with men dressed in navy blue suits while ladies wore navy blue dresses.
Moi’s eldest son Raymond, Philip and Gideon accompanied by their brother John Mark’s wife Eunice and two Moi granddaughters arrived late boarding a new Toyota Land Cruiser similar to the ceremonial car used by the President during national celebrations.
However, John Mark, one of the Moi’s sons, was conspicuously missing at the event. Details of his whereabouts remain scanty.
The Mois were closely following the military entourage that carried the body of the former president which made around trip at the stadium before they joined other family members at the tent stationed at the middle of the field.
Philip was invited by African Inland Church (AIC) Presiding Bishop Abraham Mulwa to open the service with a verse from the Bible.
He was visibly emotional as he read the verse. Raymond, who read the eulogy, described his father as a strict disciplinarian and Christian.
Moi had eight children, among them a set of twins. Moi married his Lena, daughter of prominent Eldama Ravine farmer and pioneer Christians Paul Bomet in 1950.
They had eight children — five sons and three daughters. Lena, a trained teacher, later took up the role of a full-time housewife to raise the children as Moi’s political career took root.
The most well-known Moi family member is his last born, Gideon, born in 1964.
Moi’s firstborn is Jenniffer Chemutai Kositany born in 1953, followed by Jonathan Toroitich who died in 2019, John Mark, Raymond as well as Philip and his twin, Doris.
