Moi day is a public holiday in Kenya, celebrated on October 10. It was first celebrated in 1988. The former Kenyan president, Daniel Moi, then was marking 10 years of his rule in the republic. It has had its own part of controversy following the promulgation of the constitution of Kenya in August 2010 where it was scraped from the list of Kenyan holidays but later returned following a court order where lawyer Gragory Nyauchi filled a case in court questioning the scrapping of Moi day as a public holiday.
Who is Daniel Arap Moi?
Born on 2nd September 1924, in Sacho, Baringo county, Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi, attended his education in mission and government schools. He became a teacher at age 21 in the early 1960s, at around 1963 he was appointed a minister of education in the transitional government. In 1964 he was appointed a minister of Home Affairs.
He was later named vice president in 1967 and later became the president in 1978 following the death of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
He consolidated his power by banning opposition parties and promoting his tribe people the Kalenjins, to the position of authority. His continuation of Kenyatta’s pro-western policies ensured significant sums of development aid which made Kenya emerge as one of the most prosperous African nations.
However, in 1991 Moi legalised opposition parties due to the demand from western countries. Required by the constitution to retire after two terms by the end of 2002, Mwai Kibaki succeeded Moi in 2003.
The former president in the topic is mostly remembered for his ‘Maziwa ya Nyayo’ and his long rule of 24 years as president, the longest serving in Kenyan history.
And we would not end without saying
“………………………………… na Hiyo ni Maendeleo”
1 comment
I’m curious to know more about the history of Moi day and why it was scrapped from the list of Kenyan holidays.