Mwai Kibaki was firm but smooth schemer, recalls member of first Cabinet

James Osogo, the only surviving cabinet minister in Jomo Kenyatta's government and a close ally to the late president Mwai Kibaki. [Mumo Munuve, Standard]

Today as Kenya’s third President Emilio Mwai Kibaki is laid to rest in Othaya, Nyeri County, his long time friend and only surviving member of the independence Cabinet, James Nakhwanga Osogo, will be grieving at his home in Port Victoria, Busia County, and only monitoring proceedings on television.

“I wish I was in Nairobi or even Othaya at the moment to see his body, but age has caught up with me and I can’t move,” says Osogo, who has instead tasked one of his sons to represent him “in this very important funeral of my colleague and good friend”.

Kibaki and Osogo are age mates who have come a long way. They first met in Nairobi in the 1950s, through a mutual friend, before going separate ways – Osogo to western Kenya as a teacher in a primary school and Kibaki as a lecturer at Makerere University, Uganda. As fate would have it, the two friends reunited a decade later in politics after separately discarding the teaching profession.

When President Jomo Kenyatta constituted his first Cabinet in 1963, he appointed Kibaki and Osogo as parliamentary secretaries (Assistant ministers) for Finance and Agriculture, and Animal Husbandry, respectively. Kibaki deputised James Gichuru, while Bruce Mackenzie, the only white man in the Cabinet, was Osogo’s boss. Again Kibaki and Osogo were elevated to full Cabinet positions on the same day three years later in a reshuffle following Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s resignation.

The other surviving ministers who served alongside Kibaki under Kenyatta – but not members of the first Cabinet – include Isaac Omolo Okero (Power and Communication), Daniel Mutinda (Information) and Nathan Munoko of Public Works.

When The Saturday Standard met him on Wednesday at his rural home in Lunyofu village near the shores of Lake Victoria, the ex-minister recalled his memorable moments with Kibaki with great nostalgia. Describing the former President as one of his “closest and most helpful” Cabinet colleagues, Osogo summarily describes Kibaki as workaholic, disciplined, great thinker and astute politician.

But midway his forlorn composure, the former long-serving MP of Busia South – present day Budalang’i constituency – breaks into a chuckle when narrating his experiences with Kibaki at the Parliament restaurant. Although they would occasionally enjoy a drink late into the night, Kibaki was actively on duty in the morning “like nothing had happened the previous day”.

“Even though a frequent figure at the Parliament bar, he was a bit reserved and I don’t recall him engaging in bar brawls – a character that was quite unusual back then, especially among politicians. I think he borrowed a chunk of aristocratic ways from London, where he studied in a posh university,” says Osogo.

Osogo, who served in various ministries including, Information, Commerce and Industry, Local Government, Agriculture, Health, and as acting Foreign Affairs minister, also describes Kibaki as a smooth schemer. As Leader of Government Business, the Othaya MP occasionally sought the help of Osogo to sweet talk fiery Butere MP Martin Shikuku – a member of Osogo’s Luhya community – to tone down attacks on the Kenyatta government.

Osogo remained in touch with his friend until after his exit from power. Gradually, though, they stopped connecting frequently owing to old age, ill health and distance. In one of the memorable meetings in March 2003, Osogo was driven to the President’s private residence in Muthaiga, Nairobi, by his son, John. This was at the height of Kenya’s diplomatic tiff with Uganda over Migingo Island.

“After tea and pleasantries, Dad handed a long letter and other documents which he had personally crafted alongside Migingo Island beacon details to the President. The latter promised to take up matter with his Foreign Affairs minister Kalonzo Musyoka,” recalls John. Now diabetic and having suffered two bouts of stroke, Orada, meaning “the one who rips opponents to pieces”, as his political supporters fondly refer to him, leads a quiet life in the village,. Below are excerpts of the interview:

Saturday Standard: We are sorry “Waziri” for the loss of your former colleague. How did you receive the news of his demise?

Osogo: It shocked me so much because both of us were the only surviving former ministers of Jomo Kenyatta’s (first) government. My son broke the news to me.

When and where did you first meet Kibaki?

We met in the 1950s through a friend and instantly became friends. We later met in the Cabinet when we were appointed assistant ministers. I was Assistant Agriculture minister while Kibaki was in Finance.

When is the last time you communicated with the former President?

We last spoke when he retired in 2013. Since then our communication gradually declined. But I remember in 2002 and 2007, when he vied for presidency we talked frequently and I vigorously campaigned for him in Busia. I also remember visiting him after he was involved in an accident in 2002. He would later help one or two of my children secure jobs and for that I will forever remain indebted to him and our friendship.

What do you remember about his family life and career?

Not much. But like President Kenyatta, he also introduced me to his family. I recall meeting his late wife Mama Lucy.

Tell us about your working relationship in the Kenyatta Cabinet.

We spent time together partly discussing Bills before Parliament and those that we desired to table. Kibaki was an astute thinker and workaholic who embarked on duty every morning like nothing happened when the previous day you had spent drinking in parliament restaurant. He was also a schemer. I remember when I was his deputy leader of Government Business he could task me to talk to Butere MP Martin Shikuku, who hailed from western Kenya like me, to go slow on government. Shikuku was a vocal and brainy opposition MP who kept us on toes. But Shikuku was a hard nut to crack. I separately remember Kibaki visiting my constituency in 1966 but complained of fatigue, after landing from Turkana.

Kibaki, a graduate of the London School of Economics, was one of the most educated members of the Cabinet. Did this make him arrogant or to look down upon colleagues?

Interestingly, no. Outside his debating prowess and brilliance in matters of economics, Kibaki was your average man on the street who held your hand, walked you to Parliament restaurant for a beer and engaged you in all sorts of tales – from trending news, economics and the usual political discourse.

This is curious indeed. He must have been entertaining company, or wasn’t he?

He was a tad reserved but was a frequent figure at the Parliament bar. And I don’t recall him engaging in bar brawls – a character that was quite unusual back then especially among politicians.

And how then does Kibaki compare to the current crop of political leaders?

Truth be told – the present-day political leadership exhibits a lot of inexperience and lacklustre attitude. It’s hard to discern what they are pushing for in life.

Do you have any specific thoughts or messages to President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga?

Uhuru is trying to walk in his father’s footsteps but he gives in to too much thereby allowing disrespect from his juniors. That is contrary to what his father. Raila, like his father Jaramogi Oginga, on the other hand has a unique attribute of a photographic memory. He is excellent at remembering history and his friends. When we met in the early 1960s in the Cabinet, for instance, Jaramogi quickly remembered having met me earlier as a councillor of the then Samia/Bunyala ward. But that is where the similarities between Jaramogi and Raila ends. He (Raila) is not as firm in leadership as his father. About Ruto, well I don’t know much about him. However, most of these politicians you see today are generally pathological liars.

You separately wrote to Kibaki a tense letter in your recent autobiography, “The Honourable Deeds”. Wasn’t that too harsh for a friend?

I was just speaking truth to the throne because at that time, Kenyans were complaining about Kibaki’s style of leadership. He had also let his ministers to do whatever they wished with little supervision, yet that is not what we learnt from Mzee Kenyatta. As a true friend and his age mate, I felt compelled to draft him a letter, so he can whip up his ministers to some order, including on the border disputes in Lake Victoria with Uganda. 

And what if Kibaki was alive today.. do you think he could have bought into the bottom-up or the social protection programme economic models advocated for Ruto and Raila respectively?

No. I doubt Kibaki would have cared much. These are more of political buzzes than economic models.

And as we bid farewell to your friend, what is your assessment of his overall performance as President of Kenya?

So far I would rate him the best president but as our people of Budalang’i say, “women are still giving birth.”

We thank God for your long life. What is your secret to a long life?

Ugali and omena. Go home and start eating that!