Moi's cars, staff recalled from Kabarak as Uhuru's grace period expires

President William Ruto’s administration has withdrawn government vehicles and other public assets and redeployed staff who had been attached to former President Daniel Moi, the Nation has learnt.

This came after the expiry of a two-year grace period granted by Dr Ruto’s predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.

The security team and support staff had remained at the expansive Kabarak farm in an apparent gesture of goodwill by Mr Kenyatta.

Moi died in February 2020. Sources privy to the development said that, besides the security team, gardeners, chefs, waiters, waitresses and cleaners had also been recalled.

A lean contingent

The Nation learnt that redeployment of the security detail and other staff, as well as withdrawal of official vehicles from Kabarak, began in earnest shortly after President Ruto was sworn into office last month.

A section of the security team that was recalled from Kabarak has reportedly been deployed to State House.

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Sources, however, clarified that a lean contingent of General Service Unit (GSU) officers has been retained at Kabarak to protect the late President’s homestead.

“Kabarak is treated like a national monument, as it houses the tomb of a former President, which is part of our national heritage. They [GSU] are not in Kabarak to protect any living person,” a former senior aide to Kenya’s second President said.

Calls and text messages to State House comptroller Kinuthia Mbugua yesterday went unanswered.

The Nation had sought to find out from Mr Mbugua details of the redeployment such as whether some of the staff had gone back to State House and when the grace period granted by Mr Kenyatta would lapse.

Perks

The law entitles retired presidents to at least 30 office and home staff, including two personal assistants, four secretaries, four messengers, four drivers and up to six security guards.

It is not clear how many of these were still retained in Moi's homestead, but their number had significantly reduced after his death.

Retired presidents are also entitled to two new cars of their choice, which are fully maintained by the state and are replaceable every three years. Each car should have an engine capacity not exceeding 3000cc.

Read: Kibaki and Moi retirement perks abolished by judge

A retired President is also entitled to two four-wheel-drive vehicles of their choice, each with an engine capacity of no more than 4000cc.

While some of the senior government officers surrendered their official vehicles after their contracts ended, one is said to have retained about five cars, which have been taken away.

Some of the vehicles assigned to the senior officer were supposed to be used by President Moi for his domestic work and comfort while he lived.

However, when he died, some vehicles remained in the custody of senior officers, until the government repossessed them recently.

The contracts of the senior civil servants seconded to Moi’s Kabarak home ended the moment Dr Ruto was sworn into office, the source said.

“Mr Kenyatta had allowed the officers at Kabarak to complete their contract,” a former Moi aide said. Notable on the list are Mr Lee Njiru, whose contract ended last year, General (retired) Lazarus Sumbeiywo, Mr John Lokorio and Mr Alexander Kiprotich.

The first senior civil servant to complete his contract a year after Mzee Moi died was Mr Njiru. He retired in September 2021. 

Mr Njiru, a long-serving director of the Presidential Press Unit during Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Mzee Moi’s administrations, surrendered his official Subaru Forester upon retirement.

He said there was nothing sinister about such redeployment and withdrawal of the official vehicles because the officers and security personnel served the presidency and not an individual.

Read: Lee Njiru: We planned Moi’s funeral a year to his death

“When their contracts end according to the government code of regulations, they [officers] should be redeployed or retired as the case may be and return official vehicles and other items under their custody,” Mr Njiru said. 

“I remember I was supposed to surrender the official car on a Saturday but I called the mechanical engineer to come and inspect it a week earlier. I didn’t want to hold it because I know government regulations,” he added.

The law also provides that retired presidents should receive a monthly pension equal to 80 per cent of the monthly salary currently paid to the President, a fully furnished office not more than 1,000 square feet, and an entertainment allowance calculated at the rate of 15 per cent of the monthly salary paid to the serving President.

The contracts of Gen (retired) Sumbeiywo, who was President Moi’s adviser on regional security, and Mr Lokorio, who was his private secretary, also ended a few months ago, before President Kenyatta handed over power to his deputy. 

‘Tormented conscience’

Mr Njiru denied claims that former staff at Kabarak were unfairly treated after President Ruto’s administration was sworn in.

Read: Moi’s wingman Lee Njiru finally calls it a day

“There was no betrayal whatsoever. People must understand that Dr Ruto is the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces.”

He added: “If people come to terms with that fact, they’ll relax and fit into the rhythm of life or else, they will forever remain with a tormented conscience.”

When a retired president dies, his office ceases to exist and all the government staff seconded to them are recalled and vehicles redeployed to other government departments.

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