Despite smooth transition from KANU regime to Narc administration in 2003, anxiety and mischief surrounded the occasion, a former powerful official has revealed.
After 24 years in power, retired President Daniel Moi was certain of leaving power after getting assurance that he will be protected by the US.
Moi, who had met US President George Bush, started his exit plan early unknown to many, but only made it public four months to polls when he endorsed Uhuru Kenyatta.
On Sunday July 28, 2002, Moi declared publicly for the first time that Uhuru Kenyatta, who was then the Local Government minister, was his preferred choice as Kanu’s presidential candidate while addressing a delegation from Lugari constituency.
“It was a surprise to many people including me on how he arrived at Uhuru Kenyatta,” recalls Dr Sally Kosgei, a former powerful Secretary to the Cabinet.
Moi, she says, formed a transition team that would enable smooth transfer of power. The team drafted two speeches; one which Moi would read in the event KANU candidate Uhuru Kenyatta won polls.
The team comprised then Attorney General and current Busia senator Amos Wako, spymaster Wilson Boinnet, Chief Justice Bernard Chunga and Dr Kosgei who was the head.
But having mishandled succession in his own party, Moi saw several powerful leaders among them Raila Odinga, George Saitoti and Kalonzo Musyoka join the opposition.
The team went ahead to win polls through Mwai Kibaki. A prepared Moi was ready for the handover but the Kibaki team is said to have delayed the ceremony which was scheduled to take place at Uhuru Park.
On the day of the handing over ceremony, Dr Kosgei claims that Mr Kibaki got delayed for hours over unknown reasons, creating anxiety.
“This is what forced Moi to drive himself to Uhuru Park so as to hand over the instruments of power,” she claims.
In his address, Mr Kibaki, who never gave a chance to the retiring president to say goodbye to the people he had led for 24 years, warned that Mr Moi’s cronies could face charges for plundering billions of shillings from state coffers.
Speaking from a wheelchair, the President-elect said; “I have inherited a country that has been ravaged by years of misrule,” as Moi listened.