Daniel Arap Moi, Kenya’s 2nd President dies at 95

Kenya is joined by the entire world in mourning the demise of its past President, Daniel Arap Moi who ruled Kenya for two-and-half decades.

Born of 2 September, 1924, he took over from Jomo Kenyatta after passing on in 1978. During his reign, many of his adversaries said he was an authoritarian President, but equally, he had real supporters who applauded his leadership.

He was also accused of vote rigging and bribery and later, his legacy, and to some Kenyans have been tarnished by gross vices

Mr Arap served as home affairs minister from 1964 and in 1967 he became the Kenya’s vice-president.

Pending the introduction of multi-party politics, Moi was unopposed as President, at elections in 1983 and 1988.

He was elected for a further two terms in 1992 and 1997 in polls that were widely regarded as rigged.

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While president, he appeared to dominate almost every aspect of life, an impression aided by the state-run media.

His detractors see his rule as the lost years, a time when Kenya was bedevilled by corruption, ethnic conflicts and human rights abuses.

They say he thwarted economic progress by personalising the state, using government resources to award loyalists and withholding them to punish those who did not toe the line.

His allies say the 95 year old gone Moi, kept Kenya a peaceful nation at a time other African countries were experiencing conflict.