President Daniel Moi's height informed Kenya Army officers' decision to deny him access to one of the four armoured vehicles during 1982 coup.
Having being caught in the mayhem at his Kabarak home, reports the Standard, the officers were tasked to evacuate him to State House Nakuru from where a journey to Nairobi was planned.
Maj. Kipkoech Chebet who was tasked to head the Presidential entourage to Nairobi, reveales how Moi was unsettled at the Nakuru State Lounge.
“We persuaded him to calm down as we made preparations for his evacuation. We decided to sandwich the president’s motorcade.
"Two armoured cars were to lead the convoy followed by two lorries and a Land Rover full of soldiers armed to teeth," he said.
According to Chebet, the President was to be at the centre, followed by a lorry while an additional two armoured cars guarded the rear. Chebet who was in his Land Rover was to follow the president.
"It would have been undignified to cram the president inside the armoured car even though it was relatively safe. Further, his tall height still sabotaged the plans," he said.
The convoy kicked off from Nakuru and it made a stopover at Uplands in Limuru where Moi insisted to address people who had gathered by the road.
“I was very apprehensive as this could compromise his safety. Since I could not defy my Commander-in-Chief, I ordered the convoy to slow down. I realised that the civilians were afraid and instructed the troops to start clapping and chanting “Nyayo, Nyayo.”
With the convoy taking the Dagoretti route, Moi again addressed residents before getting along Ngong Road which had been secured by loyal forces.
At 6pm, he addressed the nation from State House as the army cruised the mutiny staged by Air Force servicemen.
After the August 1st 1982 coup, Moi, whose stay was credited to Brigadier Mahamoud Mahamoud then Kenya Army Commander and General Jackson Mulinge, changed his style of leadership where Kenya returned to a single party state era.
Coup leader Private Hezekiah Ochuka would face the hangman in 1987, five years after the coup.
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