Political analyst Herman Manyora has revealed the happenings that preceded former President Daniel Moi's retirement in 2003 and his choice of a successor.
Speaking on Saturday, he recalled how the president shocked his allies by picking President Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor at a function in Kapsokwony, Bungoma County.
He said that the 2002 declaration came at a time when Moi was having it hard endorsing Uhuru for fear of angering his allies, some of whom were expecting his endorsement.
Manyora noted that Moi had tried to play a lot of games in a bid to indirectly give out the message, including making Kenyatta one of the KANU regional chairs, but still had to make an open declaration.
He said that the declaration finally came but to the shock of the remaining group of hopefuls.
"Until the time in Kapsokwony, Mt Elgon, in the current Bungoma County, where President Moi announced to the country that the successor should be one of these people, and it is this man (na ni huyu mzee) Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta," he said.
Manyora was speaking on his weekly YouTube analysis channel Take It or Leave It.
He said that the announcement was received with bitterness on the side of Amani National Congress (ANC) boss Musalia Mudavadi who was expecting the seat.
Manyora who was personally present at a meeting at the Eldoret State Lodge, which preceded the function, says that Mudavadi expressed displeasure with the declaration.
He further noted that Mudavadi openly showed that the announcement shook him.
"I remember vividly, I had attended a function with the president at Eldoret State Lodge before he went to Mt Elgon. I remember seeing the agony on the face of Mudavadi who was present in that function," he added.
Uhuru would, however, lose to Mwai Kibaki in the main race, after the likes of Raila Odinga who was also in Moi's camp decamped to Kibaki's Rainbow coalition.