Former President Moi Press secretary, Lee Njiru gave an account of how Moi refused to ride in a protected car when the country faced a coup attempt in 1982.
Lee recounted how President Moi was evacuated from Kabarak to the Nakuru State House. He was later to be driven to the Nairobi State House.
“My world had been shattered at 6 AM when I learnt that the Kenya Air Force servicemen had taken over the government. As I rushed to Kabarak to find out what was happening to Mzee, I was terrified,” Mr Njiru conveyed in an interview with the Standard.
[caption caption="Lee Njiru (left) with a friend- via Facebook"]
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However, the retired President refused to board an armoured car saying that he was not a coward. The President inquired why he was being taken to Nakuru State House first instead of Nairobi.
“By the time we arrived in Nairobi, Brigadier Mahmoud Mohamed had recaptured Voice of Kenya, while Brigadier James Lenges had liberated Nanyuki Airbase. There was a sense of normalcy although life was never the same again,” Mr Njiru recalled.
On arrival in Nairobi, President Moi decided to inspect the city.
“The devastation and madness I saw in Ngara and Mathare were indescribable. Shops had been looted after doors were yanked off,” Mr Njiru was quoted by the Standard.
President’s Moi staff were worried that he was not protected and that anything could happen since some rebels were still hiding with the city.
Lee Njiru also said that he feared for his life because of the close ties to the State House. He rubbished claims that he was fearful to the point of crying.
“There has been misleading reports that we ran away to the bushes to hide and that I cried. That is a lie! I did not cry I was emboldened by the President’s courage. We all felt strong,” he added.
[caption caption="Retired President Moi meeting with Opposition leader Raila Odinga- via Facebook"]
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