The year was 1982 and Kenya was on the brink of a coup that would have plunged the country into the unknown, just 19 years since attaining its independence.
However, an impromptu meeting among four soldiers died in the middle of the night on August 1, 1982, potentially secured Moi's reign for the next few years.
Lt Gen John Sawe, who was Army Commander as well as Deputy Chief of the General Staff, his deputy in the Army, Maj Gen Mahmoud Mohammed, the Chief of Operations at Defence Headquarters Brig Bernard Kiilu and Maj Humphrey Njoroge, a staff officer in charge of training at Army Headquarters hurriedly gathered at around 2AM on the night of the planned overthrow.
The four had decided out of their own volution to plan a counter-coup as they believed that a military take-over would plunge Kenya into the abyss.
Speaking to the Daily Nation, the retired Lt-Gen Njoroge disclosed that they had laid out counter measures to ensure Moi held on to power.
“We were planning how to restore President Moi’s Government, that was the original strategy meeting that reversed the 1982 coup attempt,” he divulged.
He went on to state that the four had convened of their own volition despite overwhelming force from fellow servicemen who were hell-bent on toppling the sitting government.
Brig Kiilu, described as having a remarkable capacity to analyse and process issues with clarity and mastery of detail informed the rest that they should assume that Nairobi has fallen, as any coup would begin by taking over the national broadcaster (KBC at the time), which was located in Nairobi.
As he was explaining a detailed assault on KBC headquarters, Mohammed cut in and stated that they needed to act immediately or else the government would fall.
He went on to ask the troops that were available within Nairobi, bearing in mind that the coup had been planned to coincide with most of the troops conducting drills out of the city.
After making a rough calculation of his odds, Mohammed re-assured Sawe that it could be done and that KBC would be in their control by morning.
“Humphrey, go to the main gate. I want you to assemble all the crack shots. Tell Warrant Officer One Kaptich to assemble all the crack shots. Specifically, I want all those from 1KR (1st Battalion, the Kenya Rifles) who won trophies during the Armed Forces Rifle Meeting. Go.” he barked out.
Having been a commanding officer of the special battalion, Mohammed had specifically asked for them as he needed men he could trust to walk with him towards certain death without flinching.
Njoroge returned with two or so dozen soldiers carried in Land Rover ambulance, all camouflaged in doctors’ white coats, and they then made their way out of Army Headquarters and headed towards Argwings Kodhek Road before turning left at the Silver Springs Hotel round-about where they joined Valley Road and headed down to Uhuru highway.
The city was filled with looters, both army infantry and university students shouting 'power' to which the disguised infantry men responded in a similar fashion.
Once they got to Norfolk Hotel, Njoroge fully donned in his doctor's gear approached the KBC gate to try and carry out a quick reconnaissance while maintaining his cover.
“There were very many rebels there and they were armed. I identified a man who wore a general’s ranks on both his shoulders and lied that we were from the Armed Forces Memorial Hospital and that we were there to help," Njoroge remarked.
The officer was convinced and Njoroge briskly walked back to the land rovers where he informed Mohammed that the officers were simply too many, and they'd need back up if they were to take back the station.
Mohammed ordered that the troops regroup at Kahawa Garrison and they duly made their way via Globe Cinema roundabout.
There was brief scuffle at the entrance to the Garrison as the sentries had been ordered to deny any entry or exit to the barracks, but Mohammed threatened to shoot the officer stationed the gate and was let in.
It was from Kahawa barracks that Mohammed and his troops of valiant soldiers formulated the final assault plans which they executed to perfection and took back the country from the would-be usurpers.
Mohammed's final instructions just before heading back to KBC were;
“Tunaenda VoK na tunaenda kufa.” loosely translating to We are going to VoK and we are going to die.
It was in fact General Mohammed who gave presenter Leonard Mambo Mbotela the script he wanted to be read out to the nation, re-assuring them that Moi was firmly in control as well as the first song, Safari ya Japan by Joseph Kamaru, to play after the announcement.
