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Khaniri: Ex-president Moi built my political career

Tuesday, February 11th, 2020 00:00 | By
Former Vihiga Senator George Khaniri at a past event. Photo/PD/FILE

 Enock Amukhale 

Vihiga Senator George Khaniri, who was among the best political students of Moi, vividly recalls how the latter introduced him to politics at the age of 21 and enabled him to win a parliamentary seat on a Kanu ticket in the wake of stiff opposition politics.

Khaniri, the longest serving MP before he clinched the Vihiga senatorial seat, remembers how Moi convinced his family to let him run in the by-election for the vacant Hamisi seat following the death of his father Nicodemus Khaniri in 1996.

“I had come home from USA where I was studying at the New Jersey State University to bury my father,’’ said Khaniri.

“After the family was done with the funeral, elders suggested that one of our family members should vie to finish my father’s term as an MP,” he added.

Khaniri said names of other family members including his elder brother Wilson’s were proposed.

However, Moi insisted that he (the senator) should be the one flying the Kanu flag in the mini poll.

The Senator believes that Moi was impressed with the way he spoke during his father’s funeral.

Khaniri was then to face Ford-K candidate John Isiaho, who had the backing of the then Ford-K bigwigs led by former Vice President Kijana Wamalwa, James Orengo and Mukhisa Kituyi, among others.

“I remember Moi came to campaign for me on the last days of the exercise and that motivated me a lot,” recalls Khaniri, who went ahead to win the seat.

“I give credit to Moi for my political achievements. He is my mentor,”said Khaniri, adding that the former president later appointed him an assistant minister in his government.

However, the Senator regrets that he fell out with Moi leading to his sacking as an assistant minister.

“I was among members of Moi’s Cabinet shown the door for going against the naming of now President Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor,” he added.

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