Retired President Mwai Kibaki, in his first term, allowed his ministers to walk in and out of State House without appointments but during his second term, things changed.
The Standard in 2011 reported that confrontations between his wife Lucy and other visitors led to him overhauling the policy, even barring members of his Cabinet from visiting him without appointments.
Often, even requests for appointments would be channelled to his Harambee House office.
Former Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara was reported to have engaged in a bitter physical confrontation with the former first lady inside State House in 2007
She also publicly rebuked late Internal Security Minister George Saitoti over the Sachang’wan fire accident, during a function at the house on the hill in 2009.
To prevent other such cases, the president decided that only four people would have unrestricted access to his home.
Former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura, Internal Security Permanent Secretary, Francis Kimemia, National Security Intelligence Service Director, Michael Gichangi, and Chief of Defence Forces General Julius Karangi.
Franklin Bett, who was a State House comptroller during former President Daniel Moi’s government, and a minister during Kibaki’s administration, recalled how the facility was normally a busy place.
"I can’t complain that ministers are not meeting the president at State House today, but I can say that things have changed a great deal. In the previous regime, ministers had the privilege of meeting the head of state from time to time at State House," Bett told reporters from The Standard.
"It is an important institution and it should not be subjected to abuse. Anyway, for me, I have always met the president at Harambee House every time I book an appointment to see him," the late Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo commented.
The late Internal Security Assistant Orwa Ojode played coy to Lucy’s hand in the paradigm shift, arguing that "The president relocated his base to Harambee House not to dodge anyone, but to give ample time to those who want to see him without having to be held in the traffic jams for hours on their way to State House.”
