Nginda school remembers Moi’s generosity

The late retired President Daniel Arap Moi at Nginda Girls High School in 1997. [File, Standard]

Nginda Girls High School in Murang’a is one of the institutions that benefited from former president Daniel Moi's generosity.

In 1996, students at the school entertained Moi in Maragua town and appealed to have their school connected with electricity. He granted the request and directed the Ministry of Energy to implement it.

The following year in July, Moi, while on his way back to Nairobi after he made an impromptu visit at Murang’a District hospital, went to the school to establish if indeed the school had been connected with electricity as he had ordered.

Without being accompanied by any Murang'a leader, Moi inspected the connection and expressed satisfaction with the works that had been done by the then Kenya Power and Lighting Company, through former Energy Permanent Secretary Crispus Mutitu.

Presidential convoy

Yesterday Cecelia Gitu, the then principal of the school, recounted events of the unexpected visit.

Mrs Gitu said a convoy of the presidential vehicles arrived at the school after 4 pm and Moi walked straight to the main switchboard and inquired from the students if the institution had electricity.

Speaking from her Heho village home, Gitu, now retired, said Moi's gesture remained etched in the minds of residents of Nginda location.

“The neighbours to the school also benefited with the connectivity,” she said, adding that the gesture helped improve performance at the institution. The school was later elevated to provincial status.

Jimmy Mukigi, a former board member at the school, said the story of the electricity connection to the school started in a Murang’a leaders' meeting when former Kigumo MP Kirore Mwaura defected from Ford-Asili to Kanu.