Francis Mureithi

1 August 2010

Nairobi — YOU are wrong! That is what most Kenyans think of retired President Moi's criticism of his successor Mwai Kibaki.

A substantial 73 per cent of Kenyans interviewed by the Star think Moi was wrong to criticise Kibaki's government.

A majority of 59 per cent believe that retired presidents should not openly engage in partisan politics.

Despite this, only 49 per cent wanted Kibaki's government to investigate Moi's administration and prosecute him. A considerable 43 per cent said there was no need to investigate Moi's regime while 8 percent said they do not know.

Those who believe that the former President has erred in criticising the leadership of Kibaki are more likely to be aged between 25 and 34 (77 per cent) and to be male (76 per cent).

The 25-34 age group was also very clear that former presidents should not publicly engage in politics after leaving office with 72 per cent saying they should keep quiet compared to 26 per cent who indicated they did not mind former presidents continuing to be politically active.

The 25-34 age group was the most aggressive on the issue of whether Moi should be prosecuted - 55 per cent supported the idea whereas a majority (53 per cent) of 35-44 year-olds thought Moi should not face prosecution.

The survey was conducted by the Radio Africa research department which contacted 172 respondents on Thursday, just after Kibaki and Moi publicly exchanged barbed comments. The respondents were randomly selected using CATI methodology from a telephone database.

The 25-34 age group were born and grew up while Moi was the all-powerful President and children received free milk in primary school and sang daily patriotic songs in praise of Moi, his government and Kanu.

Moi ruled from August 1978 on the death of founding President Jomo Kenyatta until December 2002.

The 25-34 age group read about Kenyatta and his leadership style in history books or other publications.

There was no major difference between men and women with 76 per cent of men thinking Moi was out of order in criticising Kibaki compared to 70 per cent of women. However 53 per cent of men thought Moi should be prosecuted compared to 45 per cent of women.

Last week Moi accused Kibaki of failing to fulfil his 2002 promise to deliver a new constitution within 100 days, and said that if he had been in power there would have been no post-election violence in January 2008.

Moi is leading campaigns against the proposed constitution alongside Higher Education minister William Ruto.

Moi insists that his retirement does not mean that he has lost his freedom of speech or expression or is barred from political activity.

On the other hand, President Kibaki accused Moi of "panicking" now that Kenyans are about to endorse what Moi failed to achieve during his 24-year rule.

Moi and Kibaki were close allies in the 1970s and 1980s. Kibaki was appointed Vice-President in 1978 but fell out of favour in 1988 and was shifted to the Ministry of Health.

Kibaki resigned from Moi's cabinet in 1991 as the drive for multiparty politics intensified.

Kibaki served as an opposition Member of Parliament from 1991 up to his election as Kenya's third President in December 2002 after two unsuccessful bids in 1992 and 1997.

Kibaki made a stinging criticism on Moi's rule when he was sworn in on December 29, 2002, but since then remained conspicuously silent on Moi's conduct, even in 2005 when the former President campaigned vigorously against the draft constitution which Kibaki relentlessly backed.

In 2007 Moi threw his weight behind Kibaki's re-election.

According to the International Centre for Policy and Conflict executive director Ndung'u Wainaina, Kibaki's government should closely monitor Moi.

"Every appropriate step and cautionary measures must be taken to pre-empt Moi's and his followers' attempts to either incite the public to reject the outcome of the referendum or have the referendum results declared illegitimate and not binding," said Wainaina.

"It's necessary to observe that Moi out of desperation to protect himself and his dictatorial past is increasing becoming a grave threat to democracy in Kenya," Wainaina added.

Moses Kuria, the Yes campaign spokesman, said Moi has no moral authority to criticise Kibaki's policies.

"Moi messed up this country in 24 years. Kibaki has revived it in seven years. Moi is desperate for attention and is living in a state of delirium," said Kuria.

"There is only one punishment awaiting Moi. He will be forced to live in Kenya with a new constitution and put up with it," Kuria added.