As the country remembers Daniel arap Moi, Musalia Mudavadi, who served as his Finance minister and one-time vice president is cautious about revisiting Kenya’s dark history.
Speaking on Punchline on Sunday, Mudavadi said that Kenya’s political history is marred with the unresolved murders of key figures from the Jomo Kenyatta to the Moi administrations.
“Kenya has had a dark history. And if we go back to the days of Tom Mboya. We will go back to the days of JM Kariuki. We will go back to the days of Pio Gama Pinto. We will go back to the days of Ngala, Argwings Kodhek. Subsequently, we had people like Bishop Muge and of course, unfortunately, we also had people like Dr. Robert Ouko. In all these things, a lot remains unresolved,” said the Amani National Congress (ANC) leader.
Mudavadi laid the blame on investigative agencies for not resolving the deaths, comparing it to the situation of the John F. Kennedy in the United States.
“These were dark clouds in our past and they deserve answers. But as we look for answers, let us draw from it so that we can learn to live above any forms of intolerance in our society,” said Mudavadi.
The ANC leader admitted that many of those in Kenya’s political elite today were mentored by the late president.
“For those of us who worked closely with him, there is perhaps a deeper sense of loss,” said Mudavadi.
But Mudavadi said the coverage of Moi’s legacy has been critical and fair.
“I would call him a statesman but not ruthless,” said Mudavadi when asked by Anne Kiguta to speak on the views of Moi critics among them Koigi wa Wamwere and Makau Mutua.
Mudavadi said that Moi had to consolidate power after the 1982 attempted coup.
“There were positions that may have been extremist. But by and large, if you are looking at the retired president broadly, you cannot characterize him as ruthless,” said Mudavadi.
