Baringo Senator and Kanu national chairman Gideon Moi believes that events of 2018 set the country on a positive trajectory and whoever is not tagging along would be swept aside.
In a long-range interview on the handshake, 2022 succession politics, Kabarak visits, state of the nation and the promise of the year 2019, Moi described the handshake as his highest moment and the suffering of maize farmers as his lowest of 2018.
Calm, dressed down and sitting under the shade of giant Jacaranda tree outside his father Daniel arap Moi’s Kabarnet Garden’s home in Nairobi, his longtime buddy Nick Salat was on his side as he fielded questions.
Clean bill of health
He was in the best of his moods, partly because Mzee Moi had just been given a clean bill of health after convalescing at the Gardens. And partly because they were about to leave for Kabarak home in Nakuru to begin their belated holidays. A helicopter was waiting.
“My lowest moment in 2018 was the raw deal our farmers got at the expense of the selfishness of a few. It was absolutely appalling and it is our hope that with the new Sheriffs in town (DCI Kinoti and DPP Noordin) we are going to the bottom of this in 2019,” he said.
He hopes that the Building Bridges Initiative will offer the country “profound solutions” to the politics of corruption, problem of inclusion and align structure of government to the wishes of the people.
Equally, he sounded certain on the inevitability of a popular referendum to consolidate the gains of the handshake and secure the country on a firm footing.
“Time is ripe. Kenyans have tasted what the 2010 Katiba has to offer. They have seen and felt it - the wage bill, the corruption, the political restlessness…. we need to tweak a few things and we cannot do it alone. We need to put these things to the people so that they can decide for themselves,” he said.
Like President Uhuru Kenyatta, the younger Moi does not want to condone any discussion about 2022 election, yet. Unlike the President however, he did not threaten to get angry with us when we posed the question.
Instead, he wished those doing early campaigns “the best of luck” but added a threatening rider: “We will see where they are going to run to when the real dance begins.”
Dragging his name
With regard to his presidential ambitions, he says he is moving at his own pace, that it will manifest itself closer to the election and that right now the focus is on delivering on his mandate as Senator for Baringo as well as national leader of the independence party Kanu.
“I have not stated so yet because this is a matter that takes wide consultations with a wide range of players, it is ongoing right now and it will manifest itself in good time.”
He confessed that he had no clue why people keep dragging his name in their 2022 nightmares.
“I don’t know. I wish you could tell me. I am just focused… I am focused with my current job description. As for those who want to drop their JD’s and focus on me, I say C’est la vie, that’s life!”
He says 2019 will be the year Kanu will surge back to its glory through massive rebranding exercise that will endear it to youngsters while also growing its core support base. Striking a reflective pose, he said 2019 is looking quite good for the cockerel party.
In 2019, he will also consolidate the emergent alliances between him and other like-minded leaders among them Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and ODM’s Raila Odinga.
“We will work with these and other like-minded leaders. What we do not want is to work with those people who think it must only be about them and themselves alone,” he said.
He distanced political scheming from the 2018 Kabarak visits when leaders trooped to visit his father Mzee Moi.
He said the visits were undertaken in personal capacities of the various leaders who came calling on his old man to wish him well.
“And I have to correct this misconception lest it spills over into the new year. Mzee has got his own comptroller and his aides who see after his welfare. No one has to come through me,” he said.
In 2019, Senator Moi says he will be demanding a more prudent spending and sound fiscal management, sustainable borrowing with utilisation for gain. He will also be vouching for enhanced oversight of counties, amicable resolution of disputes emanating from counties.
Winding up the interview, we asked him to give us at least one prediction for the year 2019. He reflected, eyes darting and firmly remarked…
“Kanu, Kanu, Kanu! Kanu will be the party of choice for the year 2019 and beyond.”
