BY CYPRIAN NYAMWAMU
On the afternoon of October 20th, 2001 Kilimani OCPD Nemwel Mochache led a contingent of anti-riot police officers to invade our RPP/NCEC Mashujaa day event in our office compound at Muchai drive Ngong Road.
Moi was marking the Kenyatta Day event at Nyayo Stadium and was angry that RPP was still talking about political prisoners yet he, Moi, had released all political prisoners.
Wafula Buke had started a campaign at Uhuru Park to have a burial site for Dedan Kimathi.
Kibwana and Ndile working with RPP were pushing for the settlement of many squatters in Ukambani.
As RPP (I was the SG) we had a long list of Coastal, Rift Valley, Mt Elgon and Central Province squatters who we were urging the KANU regime to settle.
On this day Rev Njoya was our Commissioner of oaths to swear into office a land Commission to discredit the Njonjo land Commission Moi had set up.
After tear gassing (sic) us for nearly an hour I pleaded with Mochache in Ekegusii that we were willing to be arrested rather than children and mothers in the compound dying due to the suffocation.
71 of us ended up in Kamiti maximum prison including Professor Kivutha Kibwana.
As the country wakes up to the news of former President Moi’s death, I share my moment when I forgave Moi.
Rev Dr Timothy Njoya helped me to forgive Moi.
As you know, Njoya and Prof Wangari Maathai greatly influenced my early years of the struggle for social justice as my mentors.
To this list are many Nyayo House torture Chambers survivors including Tirop Kitur and Wafula Buke.
Njoya told me that I was not a victim of the Moi repression. I was a soldier. Koigi Wa Wamwere on the other hand believes he was a victim of the Moi repression and dictatorship.
Moi was mostly evil.
As a student Political Science, I now understand that Moi was very unhappy and mostly insecure.
The Kikuyu and Luo bases who control Nairobi’s politics scared him permanently.
During his days, Kalenjins were a minority and Moi always felt looked down at by the Kikuyu financial elites’ arrogance and the Luo intellectual arrogance.
Moi decided to turn the whole of Kenya into a large prison.
People used to feel more insecure in their houses and offices more than in prison.
Rest in Peace DT MOI
Cyprian Nyamwamu is the Chief executive officer at National Convention Executive Council (NCEC)