[Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery (left) with Governor Evans Kidero. He did not complete his course in India. Photo/Nation]
Regarded as one of the finest military officer and later on an established politician, Major Gen (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery’s success in the two disciplines if his own records are anything to go by.
Nkaissery 67 passed on at Karen hospital in Nairobi on Friday night despite having attended a prayer function earlier in the day in good health.
And the most compelling interviews he had with K24 TV journalists after being appointed Interior Coordination minister reveals some of the hurdles he went through before establishing his military career.
“I had joined Kenyatta University in 1971 as part of the pioneer class and I dropped out to try army recruitment. I was lucky to be picked a cadet to train in Lanet,” he told reporters.
He further said: “I was picked to train in India only to yet again dropout after Indian government responded to mistreatment of Indians in Uganda by Idi Amin. They ordered Africans out.”
However, upon his return, he could not commit to KDF and it only took persuasion of President Jomo Kenyatta to rejoin the military.
Until his resignation in 2002 to join politics, Nkaissery had risen to the Major General rank, two steps away from being a four star General.