I am Kenyan 🇰🇪 & your piece is concisely & accurately published. Today, April, 22, 2022, we lost Moi's successor Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki. So this piece is timely. Cheers.
Credit goes to Moi's decision to allow a bloodless transition which stabilized Kenya's political landscape, Moi would've prepared his son to take over but he didn't. In Uganda, Museveni has been in power for close to 40 years now and he's refused to allow a power transition and to worsen things, he's preparing his son to take over and this is the exact reason a revolution is inevitable.
@@collinsmuli3053 Lets see, President George Bush junior was a "c" student, Uhuru was average, Sonko was a convict, and Sultan Bandia Joho was a D minus student. My point? Academics are totally irrelevant as to how someone will fare in leadership or in life. In fact, it is frequently found that it is the "C" and "D" students who get to employ the A and B students. Translation? What Gideon will get to be will depend on political prowess and not academic papers.
Kenyas economy grew by 7bn USD from 1970 to 1980. From 1.6bn USD to 7.62 bn USD . A growth of 6bn usd. From 1980 to 1990 it grew by a paltry 1.5 bn USD..When Kibaki took over it was slightly above 13bn USD. When Kibaki left in 2012 it was USD 50bn plus. In ten years it increases by almost 40 billions.
I ve been watching the video for so long i really love the way you re telling the stories with the soft piano in the background. Plus the amount of research is just astonishing. 😇😇😇😇🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
Thank you very much for this documentary. I met Ngugi Wa Thiongo from Kenya in South Africa in 1992.He is still one of the best Writers in the World. I fell in love with Kenya and her people when I visited Kenya for the first time in 1998. Beautiful country.
@@jessenopiyoadory8031 Greed was there from day one Dec 12 1963. Second, capitalism was always high. It has never been low. Our history is full of businessmen and women who were doing business during colonial days. Finally, what is wrong with capitalism? Its the only system that exists in the world today. Even China is communist in name only.
That “compared to other countries” line is repeated all the time and it’s such bullshit. So because we didn’t have successive coups and famine and all those other things associated with post-colonial Africa, that we were a shining example to others?
Step1: serendipitously assume power Step2: consolidate power Step3: loot Step4: end of Cold War leads to “allowing for multiparty democracy” Step5: win consecutive terms in ‘free’ elections, ensuring another decade in power there are many more but these are some of the common traits these 20+yr big men have
There is a popular misconception that Kenya became a one party state in response to the he attempted coup, yet the amendment that made Kenya a one-party state was passed the month before the coup was launched
I was born in 89 and grew up in Moi 90s. As a young child, I had no idea I was living in a kleptocracy. I could go into details but let’s just say that in 05 I was in American HS and was shocked when a teacher tried to tarnish the name of Moi. I went home and asked if it was true and my parents gave me half-answers
Good research, Growing up in Kenya in the 90's Moi knew how to politically manage ethnicity as his 24 years rule one could think war could erupt anytime but it was always minimized until 2007-2008 during his successor's regime. As for dictatorship, he can be considered a Disciplinarian or a dictator depending on the observer, but he lead the country through the 80's without any successful coup. When it comes to corruption, many believe it was high but the people down there had money and commodity prices were cheap making his regime one of the most memorable as he said "mtanikumbuka" meaning you will remember me, by the time of his death if he could ever contest to become the president again, he would win with a landslide victory.
As someone who was 12 yrs old when Moi came to power, i like to say his 24 into three phases. 1978-82, 1982-92, 1992-2002. The first was the honeymoon phase. The second was the brutal dictatorial phase. The final was the multi-party and transition phase. One other not is that the term Kalenjin was not used in the first Kenyan census. Instead the various Kalenjin communities were divided and counted. But due to Mois paranoia over coming from a small community, all subsequent census started counting Kalenjins as one community.
@@snownfire however, Suba is actually a distinct Bantu community that was “swallowed” by the bigger Luo neighbor, however they still do maintain their language and culture… the likes of Obado and Millie Odhiambo are Abasuba
Not necessarily. It was corruption by choice. Botswana never went down the drain of excessive corruption and autocracy. Those autocratic and kleptocratic leaders found across Africa during that period had multitudes backing them. It is those imbecilic multitudes that should be held to account and judged harshly by history. The mentality one comes across Africa is " Yes, he was a thief, but he was our thief. At least he shared with us whatever he stole!" Or, "Yes he was a dictator but he was our dictator". How can a people move forwards with such mentality?
There's other factors involved like religion and capitalism. If the leader is socialist the country gets sanctioned or the leader is killed, usually at the request of Western capitalist countries. If the leader is religious and capitalist the leader becomes a pawn used by the Western capitalists to suppress socialism and while extracting precious minerals for enrichment of Western capitalist countries. The power grabs and rags to riches forms somewhere in between.
Very well done I really enjoy the narrative and the images for these short documentaries. I was just wondering I have not seen one of these in a while. Keep up the good work.
Great stuff, thanks for making this content Some of the leaders like Mr Moi, you used to read about from limited sources and short news clips, I appreciate your work in bring fresh commentary to these historical African characters
My parents built their retirement home on the highway that led to Moi's home in Kabarak area. One day back in 1997 I was walking, Moi's car security entourage stopped where we were. We lined up. I was the first in line. He gave me ksh 200..good amount of money back then for an 18 yr old. He didn't speak a word.
What about the rest of those who were not given 200 shillings? What about the massive looting he did with his cronies? Stop rewarding incompetence and evil.
once Ksh 20 was equivalent to £ 1 hence the old slang "pound", the biggest denomination was Ksh. 200 bill till '92 when he introduced #YK92 (Youth for Kanu 92) where they introduced ksh 500 bill to bribe the youths for re-election and the economy has never recovered since. Kibaki tried to turn it around in 2003 where USD 1 went from Ksh. 80 to ksh. 60 prompting president Bush to release emergency dollar into the market.
My opinion is that he was a social climber whose greed knew no boundaries. And his life span was too long. But thank you for this educational information.
Moi has a mixed legacy,although he maintained stability during the Cold War when the situation could have spiraled out of control,he was heavy on corruption and looting.They are still yet to recover from that,but he set his nation on road to political reform which they enjoy changing of leaders without too much dramas now.He could have gone for an extra term but chose not to,other leaders would have twisted it .
Maintaining stability during the cold war might not have seemed to be a big challenge in Kenya. Most of the popular Kenyan leaders post independence were not communist by any stretch. Apart from Oginga Odinga, it is hard to find a popular leader back then who might have had Communist leanings. Also Mboya helped slow Oginga's influence as he split the Luo block and was even more popular then. Kenyatta was very careful and highly intelligent on who he surrounded himself with ideologically considering he was once a communist during his time in London. The biggest fight against socialism in Kenya was probably against JM Kariuki and University Students in Moi's time where he banned Soviet Literature including the Green Book
Kenya today socially economically compared to mois days is worse off Alot of jeuris have risen Situation on the ground continues worsening He once said siasa mbaya maisha mbaya Today I believe him let's not burry our heads in the sand to speak the truth during mois era security to all was a priority and gurranteed and I swear I miss moi big
You were probably belonging to the class/wing that was oppressing the others. Please bear in mind that during Moi's oppressive regime, people were detained, maimed and killed for expressing their views on alternative political direction the country could take. It that was security for you, then it says alot about where you stood as other Kenyans were paying the price for freedom with their lives and personal liberties.
Hey, I love all your videos but I want to point out something that's super important, and it is something you do. You say the person's name many times, and remind us where and what positions they had. That constant reminder really helps, since I only speak English and Chinese, so I'm not familiar with all the French names from like Guinea or Congo, or the Spanish ones from Equatorial Guinea, or the more traditional ones like Emperor Haile Selassie. That is a really, really strong learning tool, I love your videos! Any chance on Teodoro Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, btw? As like a sequel to your Francisco Nguema. Sorry if I screwed the placement of family name and personal name there.
@@AfricanBiographics Aw, I'm glad I gave some good feedback. I do like that you're focusing on the sub-Saharan area of Africa too. I feel that Islamic north Africa really overshadows the rest of Africa, at least in the United States's limited media attention. Like I don't even think my news mentioned Idris Deby's death but man, whenever there's something going on in Libya or Egypt, it makes the news, even if it's nothing new.
Im learning a lot from your videos. The corrupt part and IMF stopping to lend money to Kenya is what will be said of Zambia during Edgar Chagwa Lungu's tenure. Corruption is a cancer that is crippling. Keep it up with these videos. Im learning so so much
At age 14, I was on a family vacation in Kenya in Nov. 1978, just weeks after Moi assumed power. I recall by the time we had arrived, the new president had already re-named Government Rd in Nairobi, to Moi Avenue. We had arrived from Riyadh (where we lived at that time) with a street map of Nairobi (given to us by the travel agent in Riyadh). Needless to say, the map was of little use to me, as Moi had quickly set about renaming several streets in town in the weeks after that map had already been printed and sent to tourist offices abroad. LOL
You are wrong. We lived in fear. I was always afraid my parents would be picked up by the special branch and never seen again. The looting during his time was unprecedented and taught the current crop the ropes on plunder of public property.
People always say he was great because compared to other countries in the 80s (Uganda, Nigeria, Congo…) Kenya was doing ok. I think this is a pretty bad metric
@@atemoya3805But he left behind an economy in decay with declining GDP. There is nothing wrong with debts as long as it is put to good use. That's why we join SACCO's, operate loan accounts, etc. Likewise countries borrow to undertake projects. It is poor economics to swear never to borrow regardless of the terms of the debt. There are good debts and bad debts.
Whatever may be said of him, it must be recognized that he handed over power peacefully. This alone has contributed to Kenya's stability. Look at what happened in Rwanda, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Chad and Cameroon simply because the president in office never wanted to cede power even after losing the elections. Biya regime in Cameroon which is the most corrupt regime that Africa has ever had, has never thought of handing over power since 40 years despite the fact that he has lost elections on several occasions including in 1992 and 2018
I disagree. Kenyas stability was set long ago by the founding father Jomo Kenyatta. I always say that Kenya was very lucky to have a 70 yr old man as its first president as compared to some of the younger hot headed leaders in other countries. Stability was very important to Jomo to the extent of ruthlessly crushing his perceived enemies. So note that Moi's ascension to power in 1978 was very smooth and peaceful.
@@Kittygacha_playz you know what. It is one thing to establish principles, quite another to follow the principles. He followed the principles established by Jomo despite his dictatorial approach. Similar principles such as two terms madate only were put in place in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Guinea, etc., but many presidents didn't follow suit and this led to instability in these countries. So at least Moi didn't change the two terms principles. It could have changed even if it creates instability just as it happened in the countries mentioned above. You are lucky in Kenya.
@@adelbom-o My friend, you are totally ignorant of Kenyas history. The two term limit was never in place until 1991 when Section 2A was repealed. Prior to that there were no term limits. Please educate yourself on Kenyas constitutional history. And that change were forced upon Moi by activists like Matiba, Jaramogi and other, as well as international pressure. Again, i suggest you go back and read up on events at that time. If it were not for those activists and international pressure, Moi would have stayed in power by force and died in office like Jomo. And here is a link to help you. Kindly look at events in 1991. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_reforms_in_Kenya
@@destroyerarmor2846 I agreed with you on tribalism and we're suffering from this in cameroon. But I'm saying that at some point he left. The guy in cameroon doesn't want to leave no matter the cost. In Rwanda they went to the point where they perpetrated a genocide. So at least Moi accepted to leave.
Your analysis is factual, and thoroughly researched, all facts correct save for Goldenberg where different figures are mentioned. To date, despite a commission of inquiry into the same, Kenyans really never know how much was lost. Corruption and ethnicity still threatens the Country but we are maturing. Keep the videos coming.
To be sincere Moi had two sides like any other human being..Moi became ruthless when the there was an attempted coup and he immediately stabilised the situation in region where many governments were being overthrown
You know nothing. The attempted coup took place because You had already set the stage for dictatorship. Immediately upon Kenyatta's death, he released Kenyatta's detainees. But hardly a year later he started throwing university lecturers and political leaders with divergent views in detention. Then he went ahead to make Kenya a de jure one party state to stifle freedom of expression. The coup attempt was in reaction to such moves. With or without the coup attempt dictatorship was already taking shape.
He did what ever he did. But the main thing was he peacefully handed over the power unlike other dictators who refused to step out which lead civil war and the state collapse.
Moi was respected and loved by kenya. Most of African end with war but at list we had it better than most of the leaders of his times and he was able to know when to live
Honestly, as someone from Great Lakes region, I can say Moi did better compared to other leaders in the region in his time. His decision to set Kenyan in the path of multi party democracy was a wise one, we have countries in the region struggling with that even now.
It wasn't his decision, many people died and others shed blood fighting for multi party democracy in the country. He had no choice but to listen to the will of the people.
You know nothing about Kenya's path to multipartism. Moi didnt decide to embrace multipartism. It was forced on him by winds of change. People were detained, maim and killed in the long struggle to multipartism.
He did not just willingly decide. Kenyans mounted pressure and he retaliated ruthlessly. He had torture chambers in the basement of a building in Nairobi CBD better known as Nyayo torture chambers. Kenneth Matiba, Raila Odinga, Timothy Njoya, Wangari Maathai, Paul Muite, James Orengo. These people and many more demonstrated persistently and some paid the ultimate price.
His rise to power if you inserted Edgar chawga Lungu name 🇿🇲🇿🇲🇿🇲🇿🇲 it's all the people in Zambia after sata dead thought Edgar chawga Lungu was manipulable but he turned against everyone and tried to be a dictator but thank God he managed to mess that up too our accidental president and a failed dictator
President Moi is credited to preside over Kenya's most stable ,peaceful and security era we have ever had in Kenya...and perhaps will never be equalled...The level of discipline in the society was remarkable...from the security forces to the civilians
I remember being there in 1992,in Nairobi and Mombassa,locals told me was an offence not to have his portrate in a building,even the little street stalls i noticed this and asked the question in the hotel bar,that mongrel Thatcher gave him a gift of over 20 london black taxis!i seen one full of Japanese tourists at Lake Nakuru,i was surprised to see a black cab in the bush in Kenya!🏴
Moi was a good President 👍🏽 He was very keen in Education. He realised that he could not win or defend his own traditional values because the British were an upheal to fight. Moi should be remembered as a person as someone who knows you can do better than him. Also makes sure you have an easier way. I loved him very much.
IMF & World Bank evaded alot of deserved blame that has been heaped upon Moi, in the late 80s and throughout the 90s, Kenyas economic decline can be retraced to direct policy interventions and sanctions by these two Bretton Woods institutions.
@@georgeodhiambo598 per item: 1 Agricultural extension programs & staff cut by IMF conditions 2 Office of the Price Controller abolished by IMF conditions 3 Limitation of lending by IMF was tied to non-economic indicators, making the country poorer even tho it was productive 4 Sanctions imposed had a negative effect on market access for export 5 limited market for exports from above, then devalued the kenya shilling against major currencies 6 devaluation of KES increased Kenyas trade deficit & inflated the value of its dollar denominated loans 7 making it hence more expensive for average kenyans to buy goods, and harder for kenyas treasury to pay back its loans
I was watoto ta nyayo from LIBOI garissa district attended county high school in garissa 1986 to 89 first students of 844 system. During my primary school we had free milk and lunch and free education. President moi rest in peace I am who I am today because of President moi and am grateful to have such great President. Currently located in usa with good job. Thank you my President DANIEL TOROTICH ARAP MOI.
That free milk program did nothing to benefit the country. If you look at the world bank statistics during his time of presidency, Kenya's economy really failed. Many Kenyans fled. I was young at the time and my parents and I fled to Australia. Get your head out of your behind bwana and start thinking clearly.
Atleast Kenya was generally peaceful during that time, many African countries during that era were under siege in pursuit for gaining power from the colonial governments, also leadership by the colonial whites by proxy has not been accounted for, it is easy to pin all blame on one individual
@@joembuguadimita9297 we are kenyans and we know by our conscience and experience. you seem to come from UGANDA. Rudi ukakae Uganda. ground imekataa Ruto by his character
Why will you have that thought of tribalism in your head ..The person who is reinstating the behaviour might be his son Moi and his prefferent Uhuru Kenyatta ..Ruto is very different as he comes from a different background and even different sub ethnic
Moi was not a bad person, but he had to survive in the political game. He was only responding to the political issues, the people around him were the ones who did some of this things. The only problem with him is he over stayed as president. There was a need for him to leave the stage so that another person(kibaki) could make changes which the country needed. Moi`s story shows that God can elevate anyone to the highest office.
MOI the political proffessoe/political tactation level him any name but the fact n the bottom line is he was someone who had kanya n Africa in general at heart.
yes he was a teacher.my late dad was in the same district Iten with him.he left teaching and ventured into politics when the representative of rift valley Hon Dr Tameno resigned and Moi took his place.i was in same primary and high school with his sons .imagine starting that humble way and ending up being one of the most autocratic,repressive and richest presidents.....Question...why do humans change so much with power?
@@michaelochido3244 Well stated. There is no question that Moi was a teacher. On your closing remarks, I can state that, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Hence the need for creating strong institutions as opposed to strong men.
😢In a world dominated by religion and capitalism guys like this live to old age while guys like Thomas Sankara and Patrice Lumumba die young. The world is a terrifible place and you could never convince me that religion and capitalism add any good to it.
As much as Moi’s regime is largely criticised for corruption and ethnicity over the 24-year rule, his predecessor was largely responsible for the introduction of the same egregious twin axis of evil. Kenyatta and his kitchen cabinet set the country on the wrong path immediately after independence. They defined the current system of leadership which, Kenya grapples with; a leader is corrupt, selfish, takes care of only his own. As much as Moi had his challenges, it is important to circle back to where and when the rain started beating the nation of Kenya; immediately after Kenyatta ascended to power. Unfortunately, due to the fact that he was the first president, he rarely is criticised and is held in awe.
Daniel moi final destination is hell he should try and do his best for the betterment and important of the life and well-being of his own people hell await him !!!
Moi was the best thing that happened to kenya at that time. Remember all or most of our neighbors were busy fighting each other while he was promoting Education. Today you can't compare a kenya to any of it's neighbors .
Moi was the worst thing that happened to this country. If you think looting public resources and murdering your opponents is a good thing, then it is time to get your head checked. Bure kabisa.
That's shallow logic and lowering the bar too much. Why benchmark against the worst? There were success stories in Africa even during those dark days. Botswana never had an autocratic and kleptocratic leadership! Why could we not aspire to reach such levels? Stop creating excuses for autocrats and kleptocratic like Moi.
Moi presided over massive corruption and ethnic-driven violence. However, his handing over power to Kibaki somehow lessens his evil because he did a difficult thing of leaving power while still alive. Most African dictators like Kagame and Museveni would rather die than leave power
He was not perfect, but he did a really good job of uniting Kenyans in peace. At a time when African nations like Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia, DRC, Sudan and many others with similar demographics, were sinking in civil war, Kenya had a strongman who maintained peace. At the end he handed over power to Kibaki peacefully. Right now Kenya is a leader in the East Africa partly because of the efforts of President Moi.
Well said, he was not all evil. At least Kenya was stable and had some respect during his stewardship while most of our neighbours were deep in civil wars.
Your biographics are based on western narrative of branding African leaders dictators. President Moi was the best president in Kenya. He made Kenya what it is today. He nurtured education in Kenya that why Kenyans today are the most educated people in Africa. I remember Moi era vividly since I was born 6 months before Moi took power. I reminsce the good old days when we used to be given free milk in primary schools. "Maziwa ya Nyayo"
Of what importance is it to be educated and remain jobless? It's your opinion but truth be said, Moi, just like the other presidents have messed Kenya big time. Only their deaths will alleviate us from the suffering they put us through.
![Yeat & Quavo - 5BRAZY [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4XxnTAwyxus/mqdefault.jpg)
As a Kenyan, I cannot overstate how accurate this is. You have really done your research well. Awesome video bro
Crisson you are right. Well researched.
I am Kenyan 🇰🇪 & your piece is concisely & accurately published. Today, April, 22, 2022, we lost Moi's successor Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki. So this piece is timely. Cheers.
Thanks Mbugua
African biographics , do a video about kibaki in honour
African biographics , do a video about kibaki in honour
Please make a piece about the late Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki, who managed to steer Kenya towards economic recovery
Credit goes to Moi's decision to allow a bloodless transition which stabilized Kenya's political landscape, Moi would've prepared his son to take over but he didn't. In Uganda, Museveni has been in power for close to 40 years now and he's refused to allow a power transition and to worsen things, he's preparing his son to take over and this is the exact reason a revolution is inevitable.
He was a wonderful leader
Moi did prepare his last born. But unlike Museveni, Moi's son will have to become president(if he so desires) the right way-via the ballot box.
@@Kittygacha_playz Kenya has over 45 M people! His son is average in all aspects except stealing. May he never taste the presidency!
@@collinsmuli3053 Lets see, President George Bush junior was a "c" student, Uhuru was average, Sonko was a convict, and Sultan Bandia Joho was a D minus student. My point? Academics are totally irrelevant as to how someone will fare in leadership or in life. In fact, it is frequently found that it is the "C" and "D" students who get to employ the A and B students. Translation? What Gideon will get to be will depend on political prowess and not academic papers.
@@zakiamwoma4647 Only a sycophant like yourself can see an evil man as a "wonderful leader".
Kenyas economy grew by 7bn USD from 1970 to 1980. From 1.6bn USD to 7.62 bn USD . A growth of 6bn usd. From 1980 to 1990 it grew by a paltry 1.5 bn USD..When Kibaki took over it was slightly above 13bn USD. When Kibaki left in 2012 it was USD 50bn plus. In ten years it increases by almost 40 billions.
I ve been watching the video for so long i really love the way you re telling the stories with the soft piano in the background. Plus the amount of research is just astonishing. 😇😇😇😇🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
Thanks Alioune
Thank you very much for this documentary. I met Ngugi Wa Thiongo from Kenya in South Africa in 1992.He is still one of the best Writers in the World. I fell in love with Kenya and her people when I visited Kenya for the first time in 1998. Beautiful country.
Interesting...
Moi was the best president Kenya ever had
@@zakiamwoma4647 My goodness!
@@zakiamwoma4647 says a UDA Bot
@@zakiamwoma4647 You're joking right ?
Moi was terrible. Set Kenya back 2 decades in it's socio-economic evolution. Another excellent piece guys, love all your videos.
Thanks for the comment Richard
But under Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta greed veiled as capitalism overshot the roof
@@jessenopiyoadory8031 Greed was there from day one Dec 12 1963. Second, capitalism was always high. It has never been low. Our history is full of businessmen and women who were doing business during colonial days. Finally, what is wrong with capitalism? Its the only system that exists in the world today. Even China is communist in name only.
@Richard Nderitu "2 decades"??? you mean 200 years???
@@ald1050 Just 2 decades boss. 200 years ago Kenya did not even exist FYI.
Moi made Kenya what it is. A great nation. Compared to other African countries, Kenya stands out. He was the best we could have.
Is your second name kanana
No, he took us back decades
That “compared to other countries” line is repeated all the time and it’s such bullshit. So because we didn’t have successive coups and famine and all those other things associated with post-colonial Africa, that we were a shining example to others?
Step1: serendipitously assume power
Step2: consolidate power
Step3: loot
Step4: end of Cold War leads to “allowing for multiparty democracy”
Step5: win consecutive terms in ‘free’ elections, ensuring another decade in power
there are many more but these are some of the common traits these 20+yr big men have
This is precise!
Agreed-these people are the assimilados/local lieutenants prepared by the colonialist to ensure that their berlin conference state fail.
Apt.
There is a popular misconception that Kenya became a one party state in response to the he attempted coup, yet the amendment that made Kenya a one-party state was passed the month before the coup was launched
I was born in 89 and grew up in Moi 90s. As a young child, I had no idea I was living in a kleptocracy. I could go into details but let’s just say that in 05 I was in American HS and was shocked when a teacher tried to tarnish the name of Moi. I went home and asked if it was true and my parents gave me half-answers
What do you know now? Did your mind change?
The late,mzee Daniel arap Moi was a gift to Kenyans. I cannot be convinced otherwise
@@zakiamwoma4647 And you have a right to be ignorant.
@@Kittygacha_playz Not to mention that he has a right to be stupid, too.
That is just outrage. It doesn't change facts
Moi laid emphasis on Education which today has made Kenya a leading example despite his weaknesses
He messed up by bringing in 8-4-4=0
Good research, Growing up in Kenya in the 90's Moi knew how to politically manage ethnicity as his 24 years rule one could think war could erupt anytime but it was always minimized until 2007-2008 during his successor's regime. As for dictatorship, he can be considered a Disciplinarian or a dictator depending on the observer, but he lead the country through the 80's without any successful coup.
When it comes to corruption, many believe it was high
but the people down there had money and commodity prices were cheap making his regime one of the most memorable as he said "mtanikumbuka" meaning you will remember me, by the time of his death if he could ever contest to become the president again, he would win with a landslide victory.
As someone who was 12 yrs old when Moi came to power, i like to say his 24 into three phases. 1978-82, 1982-92, 1992-2002. The first was the honeymoon phase. The second was the brutal dictatorial phase. The final was the multi-party and transition phase. One other not is that the term Kalenjin was not used in the first Kenyan census. Instead the various Kalenjin communities were divided and counted. But due to Mois paranoia over coming from a small community, all subsequent census started counting Kalenjins as one community.
In the process the figures were exagurated.
He also attempted to split the Luo into Luo and Suba group to downplay the numbers
@@snownfire however, Suba is actually a distinct Bantu community that was “swallowed” by the bigger Luo neighbor, however they still do maintain their language and culture… the likes of Obado and Millie Odhiambo are Abasuba
Am a Kenyan and I have to say it's still a game of cards btwn the Kenyattas and Moi families to safeguard what the dads stole ages ago.
Setting a reminder for 6 hours from now. Very interested to see the AB perspective on Mzee
i must agree bro, as a kenyan i respect his wide view and research into the moi topic he is spot on. i have reminders on too
I must admit all African post independence politics is similar, corruption power grabs- rags to riches! excellent piece.
There is almost a script that they follow.
bana i thought ni sisi tu naona malawi, chad, zim, ug, gambia, angola etc ni same upuzi
@@BrianSHIFU27 Add Nigeria, please!
Not necessarily. It was corruption by choice. Botswana never went down the drain of excessive corruption and autocracy. Those autocratic and kleptocratic leaders found across Africa during that period had multitudes backing them. It is those imbecilic multitudes that should be held to account and judged harshly by history. The mentality one comes across Africa is " Yes, he was a thief, but he was our thief. At least he shared with us whatever he stole!" Or, "Yes he was a dictator but he was our dictator". How can a people move forwards with such mentality?
There's other factors involved like religion and capitalism. If the leader is socialist the country gets sanctioned or the leader is killed, usually at the request of Western capitalist countries. If the leader is religious and capitalist the leader becomes a pawn used by the Western capitalists to suppress socialism and while extracting precious minerals for enrichment of Western capitalist countries. The power grabs and rags to riches forms somewhere in between.
Very well done I really enjoy the narrative and the images for these short documentaries. I was just wondering I have not seen one of these in a while. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Cicely
Great stuff, thanks for making this content
Some of the leaders like Mr Moi, you used to read about from limited sources and short news clips, I appreciate your work in bring fresh commentary to these historical African characters
My parents built their retirement home on the highway that led to Moi's home in Kabarak area. One day back in 1997 I was walking, Moi's car security entourage stopped where we were. We lined up. I was the first in line. He gave me ksh 200..good amount of money back then for an 18 yr old. He didn't speak a word.
What about the rest of those who were not given 200 shillings? What about the massive looting he did with his cronies? Stop rewarding incompetence and evil.
@@mathematicalnerd1455 🤣🤣🤣 boss..take a chill pill. I just said something that happened in my life. I'm not sanitizing Moi
@@thykingdomworld Then you must develop suitable phrase structure so that it does not appear that you are supporting him.
@@mathematicalnerd1455 I'm not a grammar teacher
Dictators do that. They love it because they know you'll spread the word.
once Ksh 20 was equivalent to £ 1 hence the old slang "pound", the biggest denomination was Ksh. 200 bill till '92 when he introduced #YK92 (Youth for Kanu 92) where they introduced ksh 500 bill to bribe the youths for re-election and the economy has never recovered since. Kibaki tried to turn it around in 2003 where USD 1 went from Ksh. 80 to ksh. 60 prompting president Bush to release emergency dollar into the market.
Actually, even the ksh 200 bill came with Moi. During Jomos time the largest currency was 100.
True.
Then Kibakis blotted re-election in 2008 took theKenya shilling back under.. well
500 sh note was introduced in 1988
My opinion is that he was a social climber whose greed knew no boundaries. And his life span was too long. But thank you for this educational information.
Moi has a mixed legacy,although he maintained stability during the Cold War when the situation could have spiraled out of control,he was heavy on corruption and looting.They are still yet to recover from that,but he set his nation on road to political reform which they enjoy changing of leaders without too much dramas now.He could have gone for an extra term but chose not to,other leaders would have twisted it .
He didn't 'choose' . He was kicked out after his dictatorship became unbearable
Maintaining stability during the cold war might not have seemed to be a big challenge in Kenya. Most of the popular Kenyan leaders post independence were not communist by any stretch. Apart from Oginga Odinga, it is hard to find a popular leader back then who might have had Communist leanings. Also Mboya helped slow Oginga's influence as he split the Luo block and was even more popular then. Kenyatta was very careful and highly intelligent on who he surrounded himself with ideologically considering he was once a communist during his time in London. The biggest fight against socialism in Kenya was probably against JM Kariuki and University Students in Moi's time where he banned Soviet Literature including the Green Book
Africa should rise above corruption, incompetence and dictator leaders.
So sad... Freedom fighters became looters 😭
Kenya today socially economically compared to mois days is worse off
Alot of jeuris have risen
Situation on the ground continues worsening
He once said siasa mbaya maisha mbaya
Today I believe him let's not burry our heads in the sand to speak the truth during mois era security to all was a priority and gurranteed
and I swear I miss moi big
You were probably belonging to the class/wing that was oppressing the others. Please bear in mind that during Moi's oppressive regime, people were detained, maimed and killed for expressing their views on alternative political direction the country could take. It that was security for you, then it says alot about where you stood as other Kenyans were paying the price for freedom with their lives and personal liberties.
Hey, I love all your videos but I want to point out something that's super important, and it is something you do. You say the person's name many times, and remind us where and what positions they had. That constant reminder really helps, since I only speak English and Chinese, so I'm not familiar with all the French names from like Guinea or Congo, or the Spanish ones from Equatorial Guinea, or the more traditional ones like Emperor Haile Selassie. That is a really, really strong learning tool, I love your videos!
Any chance on Teodoro Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, btw? As like a sequel to your Francisco Nguema. Sorry if I screwed the placement of family name and personal name there.
This is really useful feedback and I appreciate it. Yes , I will do one on Tedoro one of these days
@@AfricanBiographics Aw, I'm glad I gave some good feedback. I do like that you're focusing on the sub-Saharan area of Africa too. I feel that Islamic north Africa really overshadows the rest of Africa, at least in the United States's limited media attention. Like I don't even think my news mentioned Idris Deby's death but man, whenever there's something going on in Libya or Egypt, it makes the news, even if it's nothing new.
Im learning a lot from your videos. The corrupt part and IMF stopping to lend money to Kenya is what will be said of Zambia during Edgar Chagwa Lungu's tenure. Corruption is a cancer that is crippling.
Keep it up with these videos. Im learning so so much
At age 14, I was on a family vacation in Kenya in Nov. 1978, just weeks after Moi assumed power. I recall by the time we had arrived, the new president had already re-named Government Rd in Nairobi, to Moi Avenue. We had arrived from Riyadh (where we lived at that time) with a street map of Nairobi (given to us by the travel agent in Riyadh). Needless to say, the map was of little use to me, as Moi had quickly set about renaming several streets in town in the weeks after that map had already been printed and sent to tourist offices abroad. LOL
I respect this Gentleman, his likes will never be seen in Kenya again. I believed at present, you must settle for his half to rule Kenya.
You are wrong. We lived in fear. I was always afraid my parents would be picked up by the special branch and never seen again. The looting during his time was unprecedented and taught the current crop the ropes on plunder of public property.
People always say he was great because compared to other countries in the 80s (Uganda, Nigeria, Congo…) Kenya was doing ok. I think this is a pretty bad metric
Yeah true. I was a kid but the fear was thick in the air.
Fear was high in the air, but the cost of living was low.
he never left us with debts we have to pay.
@@atemoya3805But he left behind an economy in decay with declining GDP. There is nothing wrong with debts as long as it is put to good use. That's why we join SACCO's, operate loan accounts, etc. Likewise countries borrow to undertake projects. It is poor economics to swear never to borrow regardless of the terms of the debt. There are good debts and bad debts.
Whatever may be said of him, it must be recognized that he handed over power peacefully. This alone has contributed to Kenya's stability. Look at what happened in Rwanda, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Chad and Cameroon simply because the president in office never wanted to cede power even after losing the elections. Biya regime in Cameroon which is the most corrupt regime that Africa has ever had, has never thought of handing over power since 40 years despite the fact that he has lost elections on several occasions including in 1992 and 2018
I disagree. Kenyas stability was set long ago by the founding father Jomo Kenyatta. I always say that Kenya was very lucky to have a 70 yr old man as its first president as compared to some of the younger hot headed leaders in other countries. Stability was very important to Jomo to the extent of ruthlessly crushing his perceived enemies. So note that Moi's ascension to power in 1978 was very smooth and peaceful.
@@Kittygacha_playz you know what. It is one thing to establish principles, quite another to follow the principles. He followed the principles established by Jomo despite his dictatorial approach. Similar principles such as two terms madate only were put in place in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Guinea, etc., but many presidents didn't follow suit and this led to instability in these countries. So at least Moi didn't change the two terms principles. It could have changed even if it creates instability just as it happened in the countries mentioned above. You are lucky in Kenya.
@@Kittygacha_playz Jomo Kenyatta perpetuated the kind of tribalism that leads to civil war in for example Ethiopia
@@adelbom-o My friend, you are totally ignorant of Kenyas history. The two term limit was never in place until 1991 when Section 2A was repealed. Prior to that there were no term limits. Please educate yourself on Kenyas constitutional history. And that change were forced upon Moi by activists like Matiba, Jaramogi and other, as well as international pressure. Again, i suggest you go back and read up on events at that time. If it were not for those activists and international pressure, Moi would have stayed in power by force and died in office like Jomo. And here is a link to help you. Kindly look at events in 1991. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_reforms_in_Kenya
@@destroyerarmor2846 I agreed with you on tribalism and we're suffering from this in cameroon. But I'm saying that at some point he left. The guy in cameroon doesn't want to leave no matter the cost. In Rwanda they went to the point where they perpetrated a genocide. So at least Moi accepted to leave.
“One of Africa’s most corrupt and ruthless autocrats” wow. That’s in a strong field.
Your analysis is factual, and thoroughly researched, all facts correct save for Goldenberg where different figures are mentioned. To date, despite a commission of inquiry into the same, Kenyans really never know how much was lost. Corruption and ethnicity still threatens the Country but we are maturing. Keep the videos coming.
Kenya would be something else of what it is now for the wasted 24years
Watching this on 13th July 2024 while Kenya is in the middle of a socio-economic liberation from the corruption Ruto learnt from Moi.
Thanks again African Biographics. How can we support this channel?
To be sincere Moi had two sides like any other human being..Moi became ruthless when the there was an attempted coup and he immediately stabilised the situation in region where many governments were being overthrown
You know nothing. The attempted coup took place because You had already set the stage for dictatorship. Immediately upon Kenyatta's death, he released Kenyatta's detainees. But hardly a year later he started throwing university lecturers and political leaders with divergent views in detention. Then he went ahead to make Kenya a de jure one party state to stifle freedom of expression. The coup attempt was in reaction to such moves. With or without the coup attempt dictatorship was already taking shape.
For us history students the late president Moi has always divided opinion
This is really accurate!! Good job!
He did what ever he did. But the main thing was he peacefully handed over the power unlike other dictators who refused to step out which lead civil war and the state collapse.
Moi was respected and loved by kenya. Most of African end with war but at list we had it better than most of the leaders of his times and he was able to know when to live
Honestly, as someone from Great Lakes region, I can say Moi did better compared to other leaders in the region in his time. His decision to set Kenyan in the path of multi party democracy was a wise one, we have countries in the region struggling with that even now.
It wasn't his decision, many people died and others shed blood fighting for multi party democracy in the country. He had no choice but to listen to the will of the people.
You know nothing about Kenya's path to multipartism. Moi didnt decide to embrace multipartism. It was forced on him by winds of change. People were detained, maim and killed in the long struggle to multipartism.
@@georgeodhiambo598 you forgot the kids that were orphaned by his hand. He pretended to love children but murdered their parents
It wasn't Moi.he had to bow to the pressure from the opposition at the time. It's what we call the second liberation
He did not just willingly decide. Kenyans mounted pressure and he retaliated ruthlessly. He had torture chambers in the basement of a building in Nairobi CBD better known as Nyayo torture chambers. Kenneth Matiba, Raila Odinga, Timothy Njoya, Wangari Maathai, Paul Muite, James Orengo. These people and many more demonstrated persistently and some paid the ultimate price.
... What can Africa history be without corruption, and ethnic groups divisions, as Africans we must learn to unify...
President Moi was not as bad as he is made out to be. We have good memories of the Moi era.
Speak for yourself. If you call looting public resources and murdering your critics a good thing, then you need to get your head checked.
Ooh yes! That reminds of the good memories we have for Adolf Hitler. He had a strange outward love for children! Just like Moi! Yeah!
Ask me. I was tortured by his men,and sentenced to a five year term in those horrible prisons. May he and his henchmen rot in hell.
@@georgeodhiambo598 luos are always lamenting and complaining of all situations.
Take a chill pill you ng'etais!!
Coincidentally we have 254 likes for this video, I bet this are "all" Kenyans just like me
Actually , I'm from Poland .
A leader who enjoyed power and feared by many..I dont think anyone enjoyed power like this dude of kenya.. Harambee Nyayo!!!!!
His rise to power if you inserted Edgar chawga Lungu name 🇿🇲🇿🇲🇿🇲🇿🇲 it's all the people in Zambia after sata dead thought Edgar chawga Lungu was manipulable but he turned against everyone and tried to be a dictator but thank God he managed to mess that up too our accidental president and a failed dictator
Thanks for another excellent video.
objective video, he afforded Kenya stability at a time its neighbors didn't have it, but some of his policies affect the country to this day.
President Moi is credited to preside over Kenya's most stable ,peaceful and security era we have ever had in Kenya...and perhaps will never be equalled...The level of discipline in the society was remarkable...from the security forces to the civilians
Credited by who?
I remember being there in 1992,in Nairobi and Mombassa,locals told me was an offence not to have his portrate in a building,even the little street stalls i noticed this and asked the question in the hotel bar,that mongrel Thatcher gave him a gift of over 20 london black taxis!i seen one full of Japanese tourists at Lake Nakuru,i was surprised to see a black cab in the bush in Kenya!🏴
Wonderful video, I am just grateful Moi maintained stability in Kenya, but the economy really went downhill.
And someone will wake up in August 2022 to Vote for Ruto.....Knowing this History..This is not about tribe but facts
Most other countries were in civil war, with moi we had peace
Moi student Ruto will be worst ..divide kikuyus and put his clansmen
@@paulwachira7679 If you call murdering and torturing your opponents peace, then you need to get your brain checked.
Moi was a good President 👍🏽 He was very keen in Education. He realised that he could not win or defend his own traditional values because the British were an upheal to fight. Moi should be remembered as a person as someone who knows you can do better than him. Also makes sure you have an easier way. I loved him very much.
❤
IMF & World Bank evaded alot of deserved blame that has been heaped upon Moi, in the late 80s and throughout the 90s, Kenyas economic decline can be retraced to direct policy interventions and sanctions by these two Bretton Woods institutions.
The so-called SAPs were really punitive to the economy.
SAPs were applied across the whole of Africa. It cannot an excuse for Moi's poor performance as a leader.
@@georgeodhiambo598 per item:
1 Agricultural extension programs & staff cut by IMF conditions
2 Office of the Price Controller abolished by IMF conditions
3 Limitation of lending by IMF was tied to non-economic indicators, making the country poorer even tho it was productive
4 Sanctions imposed had a negative effect on market access for export
5 limited market for exports from above, then devalued the kenya shilling against major currencies
6 devaluation of KES increased Kenyas trade deficit & inflated the value of its dollar denominated loans
7 making it hence more expensive for average kenyans to buy goods, and harder for kenyas treasury to pay back its loans
Accurate except for the claims that Ouko made corruption allegations Moi.
I was watoto ta nyayo from LIBOI garissa district attended county high school in garissa 1986 to 89 first students of 844 system. During my primary school we had free milk and lunch and free education. President moi rest in peace I am who I am today because of President moi and am grateful to have such great President. Currently located in usa with good job. Thank you my President DANIEL TOROTICH ARAP MOI.
That free milk program did nothing to benefit the country. If you look at the world bank statistics during his time of presidency, Kenya's economy really failed. Many Kenyans fled. I was young at the time and my parents and I fled to Australia. Get your head out of your behind bwana and start thinking clearly.
Atleast Kenya was generally peaceful during that time, many African countries during that era were under siege in pursuit for gaining power from the colonial governments, also leadership by the colonial whites by proxy has not been accounted for, it is easy to pin all blame on one individual
This is what Ruto wants to restore to Kenyan, we refuse it under all circumstances
@pm NO WAY you can not equit Ruto values with those of Raila. Those are two defferent persons.
Who are you to judge ruto ,,,,as if raila is a saint ,,, nonsense
@@joembuguadimita9297 we are kenyans and we know by our conscience and experience. you seem to come from UGANDA. Rudi ukakae Uganda. ground imekataa Ruto by his character
Bribing tokenisms.like Moi but vindictive
Why will you have that thought of tribalism in your head ..The person who is reinstating the behaviour might be his son Moi and his prefferent Uhuru Kenyatta ..Ruto is very different as he comes from a different background and even different sub ethnic
The golden age !!
This foolish guy almost allowed colonizer to take rift valley....... It kenyatta who said no to that nonsense.... He almost sold out
How now?
And Ruto loved his style of rule and he wants to repeat it if he is elected.
Moi was not a bad person, but he had to survive in the political game. He was only responding to the political issues, the people around him were the ones who did some of this things. The only problem with him is he over stayed as president. There was a need for him to leave the stage so that another person(kibaki) could make changes which the country needed. Moi`s story shows that God can elevate anyone to the highest office.
Thank you so much for doing this video, I have requested a video of Moi at least several times.
Could you do about Sangoulé Lamizana the 2nd president of Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso)
GOLDENBERG
If there ever was a good name for a scam outfit, this is it.
Very Accurate piece. Very Corrupt leader.
Most of the problems facing Kenya today can be traced back to Moi's regime. That man put corruption and impunity the order of the day!
MOI the political proffessoe/political tactation level him any name but the fact n the bottom line is he was someone who had kanya n Africa in general at heart.
Am a Kenyan and can confirm that you did extensive research
Was Moi ever a teacher, I've never seen anyone come up saying that he was taught by him or they were colleagues in college.
yes he was a teacher.my late dad was in the same district Iten with him.he left teaching and ventured into politics when the representative of rift valley Hon Dr Tameno resigned and Moi took his place.i was in same primary and high school with his sons .imagine starting that humble way and ending up being one of the most autocratic,repressive and richest presidents.....Question...why do humans change so much with power?
@@michaelochido3244 Well stated. There is no question that Moi was a teacher.
On your closing remarks, I can state that, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Hence the need for creating strong institutions as opposed to strong men.
He was a monster.
The narrator is from which African country? He does his research well enough!
😢In a world dominated by religion and capitalism guys like this live to old age while guys like Thomas Sankara and Patrice Lumumba die young. The world is a terrifible place and you could never convince me that religion and capitalism add any good to it.
Video title: ruthless and currept African dictator
Me: is there any other kind
Hahaha. Any pleasant dictators out there?
Please do Burundi.
Don't forget maziwa ya nyayo
Kalenjins are the large tribe made of 8 sub-tribes, the 3 largest ethnic group in Kenya after Luhyas and Kikuyus. slight correction on that.
At independance we were a minority.
1959 census we were slightly above 900K.
Our population has spiked alot over the years.
As much as Moi’s regime is largely criticised for corruption and ethnicity over the 24-year rule, his predecessor was largely responsible for the introduction of the same egregious twin axis of evil. Kenyatta and his kitchen cabinet set the country on the wrong path immediately after independence. They defined the current system of leadership which, Kenya grapples with; a leader is corrupt, selfish, takes care of only his own. As much as Moi had his challenges, it is important to circle back to where and when the rain started beating the nation of Kenya; immediately after Kenyatta ascended to power. Unfortunately, due to the fact that he was the first president, he rarely is criticised and is held in awe.
Daniel moi final destination is hell he should try and do his best for the betterment and important of the life and well-being of his own people hell await him !!!
100%true
For what shall benefit a.man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?
History is already about pain and suffering. How can one be a dictator, in other words, the source and cause of another suffering and pain?
Lucky to have been there during such historical times
As much as Moi ruled with iron fist for 24yrs.He will be credited for handing over power peaceful and retired to his home in Kabarak.
Interesting video. We hear way too little about what has happened in Africa, and what is happening in the news and elsewhere.
This was well done!
Leave mzee moi alone we as Africans we don't question your west leaders moi was good and he knewed what to do
HE still lived long and died peacefully, lol. How about all those whose lives were wasted due to his actions?
Do the biography of Mugabe
Hez de man Rip Bwana
The part on Robert Ouko is incorrect brother... kindly recheck/research
Moi was the best thing that happened to kenya at that time. Remember all or most of our neighbors were busy fighting each other while he was promoting Education. Today you can't compare a kenya to any of it's neighbors .
Moi was the worst thing that happened to this country. If you think looting public resources and murdering your opponents is a good thing, then it is time to get your head checked. Bure kabisa.
That's shallow logic and lowering the bar too much. Why benchmark against the worst? There were success stories in Africa even during those dark days. Botswana never had an autocratic and kleptocratic leadership! Why could we not aspire to reach such levels? Stop creating excuses for autocrats and kleptocratic like Moi.
Well published accurate account of Moi regime
Moi presided over massive corruption and ethnic-driven violence. However, his handing over power to Kibaki somehow lessens his evil because he did a difficult thing of leaving power while still alive. Most African dictators like Kagame and Museveni would rather die than leave power
He was not perfect, but he did a really good job of uniting Kenyans in peace. At a time when African nations like Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia, DRC, Sudan and many others with similar demographics, were sinking in civil war, Kenya had a strongman who maintained peace. At the end he handed over power to Kibaki peacefully. Right now Kenya is a leader in the East Africa partly because of the efforts of President Moi.
Well said, he was not all evil. At least Kenya was stable and had some respect during his stewardship while most of our neighbours were deep in civil wars.
Uniting poor people haha
He did not unite people and 2007 civil war was a result of kettle boiling over a long time
You can spin all the lies you want. You are a Kalenjin so we understand.
Puhleeez!🙄
And now his keen student is the President of Kenya.
Kenya was way better than Japan and Korea economically when president Moi ascended to power, we loved and love him still
a dictator doesnt step down
The fact that there were no successful coups during his tenure speaks alot.
Your biographics are based on western narrative of branding African leaders dictators. President Moi was the best president in Kenya. He made Kenya what it is today. He nurtured education in Kenya that why Kenyans today are the most educated people in Africa. I remember Moi era vividly since I was born 6 months before Moi took power. I reminsce the good old days when we used to be given free milk in primary schools. "Maziwa ya Nyayo"
Fair enough, but in the video I did mention the good that he did. Maybe you missed it??
Of what importance is it to be educated and remain jobless? It's your opinion but truth be said, Moi, just like the other presidents have messed Kenya big time. Only their deaths will alleviate us from the suffering they put us through.
@@collinsmuli3053 You sound educated, thanks to the late president Moi.
@@collinsmuli3053 sure he was a ruthless president what remains is God's judgement on what he caused, kilio Cha haki
@@collinsmuli3053 sure he was a ruthless president what remains is God's judgement on what he caused, kilio Cha haki
He was never be a dictator in fact during his term life was so smooth don't talk what you don't know please
Life can appear to be smooth even under a dictatorship! Don't you know that?