On Sunday, 1 August 1982, at exactly 3. AM, a group of air force military officers under the leadership of Senior Private Hezekiah Ochuka mounted a rather weak coup against then-President Daniel Moi's government.
The coup was 6 hours later suppressed by government soldiers loyal to the President, led by the Chief of General Staff Mohamoud Mohammed.
Though the events of that day are popular, having been recorded in many books and articles, here are some of the rather funny things that happened on the day, but have remained unknown to many.
On the day, veteran politician Njenga Karume's liquor store in Westlands, Nairobi was ransacked as looters invaded the premises to quench their thirst.
Bookshops made history as the safest business in Kenya, as not even a single one was touched.
An army officer lost his gun after leaving it out to try out suits in a cloth store along Kimathi Street, while on the other end of the nation, the then Subukia MP Koigi Wa Wamwere washed his face and left his wife in bed to go and celebrate the fall of Moi.
Three days later he was arrested, probably for celebrating, ending up in prison as one of the longest-serving political detainees in the history of the country.
When then Lang'ata MP Philip Leakey heard of the coup, he packed a bag with a blanket and several necessities including a gun, before running into the bushes.
Also, at that time, Moi who was in his Kabarak home in Nakuru has driven away and hidden in the bushes near his farm in Solai, Nakuru county.
#HistoryNow
Source: https://www.sde.co.ke/thenairobian/article/2001268691/why-raila-odinga-was-arrested-nine-interesting-things-about-the-1982-coup
https://hivisasa.com/posts/when-moi-ran-to-hide-in-the-bush-at-kabarak