Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Eric Wainaina and Bernard Gitau

Retired African Inland Church Bishop Silas Yego on Friday administered the last Holy Communion on former President Daniel arap Moi, as part of the departed former Head of State’s final wishes.

People Daily yesterday pieced together Moi’s final days, from October 10, last year, when he was first admitted to the Nairobi Hospital from his Kabarnet Gardens residence in Nairobi. 

Whereas the official statement said the former President passed on at around 5.20am, accounts from the hospital and close family and friends indicated that Moi may have succumbed to his long illness slightly earlier.

“It is with profound sadness and sorrow that I announce the passing of a great African statesman, H.E. Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, the Second President of the Republic of Kenya,” said President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was on his way to United States for the US National Prayer Breakfast slated for today.

Uhuru directed Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua to chair a State funeral committee, with the government taking over all the burial arrangements.

In his proclamation, the President directed that besides the nation observing a period of national mourning from yesterday until the day of Moi’s burial, the former Head of State will be accorded a State funeral, with all appropriate civilian and full military honours.

He also ordered the Kenyan flag to fly at half mast during the mourning period.

The announcement was the first news Kenyans woke up to, coming hours after the Kakamega school tragedy in which 14 pupils lost their lives in a stampede on Monday evening.

At the time of his death, Moi is said to have been surrounded by his family members including sons Gideon, Raymond and Philip, close relatives, doctors and Bishop Yego.

At a brief press conference at Nairobi Hospital yesterday morning, Gideon, the Baringo Senator, said his father had passed away peacefully in his sleep.

“I was by his side, and as a family we have accepted. Mine is just to give my heartfelt gratitude to all Kenyans and non-Kenyans for the prayers and thoughts that they have been giving to Mzee and to our family. Thank you all,” Gideon told the nation.

The family statement came after Uhuru’s proclamation, which set the stage for a string of condolences from Kenyans and global leaders who eulogised Moi as a great African statesman.

“It is normal protocol for the death of a former president to be announced by the sitting Head of State. That is the reason why the family had to wait until President Uhuru Kenyatta announced it officially,” said a close family member.

Bishop Yego, according to sources privy to his diary, on Friday visited Moi after his condition had deteriorated, having been in hospital for 105 days. The cleric spent more than five hours, among other things, administering the last Holy Communion and saying a special prayer for the former President.

“The bishop visited Mzee on Friday at the hospital for a prayer session where he also administered holy communion. It was among one of his many visits to Mzee at the facility,” said the source. 

Incidentally, Moi, who ruled Kenya for 24 years, making him the country’s longest serving Head of State, was first taken to the hospital on a day which was previously celebrated in his honour-Moi Day, before it was scrapped under the new constitutional dispensation.

According to sources, Moi was discharged on October 20, 2019, but according to sources at Kabarak Gardens, who cannot be quoted discussing the delicate subject, his condition deteriorated on October 22, and he was rushed back to the hospital.

It was during Moi’s long stay at the facility’s Intensive Care Unit that Bishop Yego, who retired two weeks ago, together with members of the Moi family, would visit one of the AIC church’s staunchest and longest serving members for prayers.

Last sacrament

According to the source, before he lost his voice, Moi had told Gideon, his youngest son who is said to have been on his father’s bedside for many days, and Bishop Yego, to ensure he received the last sacrament.

 Yesterday, in a statement to the media, the family said: “It is approximately three months since Mzee was hospitalised for a medical condition which was diagonised and treated to the best of the ability of the hospital where he was admitted along with our local doctors who attended to him and the others from overseas.” 

Family sources said Gideon had given strict instructions on who would visit his father, and those who wished to, had to seek permission from him.

Some of the visitors who frequented the hospital included President Uhuru, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and other close family members and friends.

President Kenyatta reportedly last visited Moi on Sunday afternoon when he also checked on Migori County Speaker Boaz Okoth who was admitted to the same hospital. 

Moi’s condition is said to have deteriorated and on Saturday, he was put on life support after his organs apparently failed. 

On Monday midnight, his condition got worse and family members, notably Rongai Member of Parliament Raymond Moi, Gideon and Philip Moi converged at the hospital.

Reports indicated that Moi succumbed to his illness between 2 and 3 am in the presence of his family, a fact that was confirmed by Gideon, who, however, put the time of death at 5:20 am. After the death, Gideon who is the Kanu party chairman, is reported to have called President Kenyatta and informed him of the development. 

Shortly after, a presidential motorcade was prepared to ferry the body from the hospital to Lee Funeral Home where Chief Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Odour was among the pathologists who were waiting.

Moi served us as a teacher, Member of Parliament for Baringo Central, a Cabinet minister, vice-president and finally as the President of the Republic of Kenya following the death of the founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta in 1978.  

After his retirement in 2002, Moi led an active lifestyle until three years ago when he started missing out on major public events.

It was also the time that political figures went to see him in his Kabarak home in droves.  In most cases he would be photographed sitting. In March 2018, Moi was flown to Israel aboard a chartered plane , accompanied by Gideon and his long time physician Dr David Silverstein.

A press dispatch by his long time press secretary Lee Njiru then indicated he had been taken for a check up on his knee which had been troubling him for some time.

The knee problem can be traced to July 30, 2006 when his car was involved in an accident near Limuru while on his way to Nakuru.

For the last two years, Moi has spent his life on a wheelchair, and even when he attended the funeral of his son, Jonathan in April  last year, he remained in his car.