When former head of the Presidential Press Service Lee Njiru sits down to tell stories of Kenya’s political past, you can feel history breathe through his words.
At his serene Ngata home, nestled next to his Lee Njiru Resort on the Nakuru–Eldoret highway, the veteran pressman speaks with a voice full of nostalgia — and sometimes, disbelief.
Among his many memories, one stands out like a lightning bolt across the country’s political skies — the day the late President Daniel arap Moi rejected a senior security officer’s chilling proposal to assassinate Raila Amolo Odinga .
“Mzee Moi once told me,” Njiru begins, his voice steady but heavy with emotion, “that a senior security officer came to him and said, ‘Your Excellency, why is this man, Raila, giving you so many problems? Give me permission and we’ll take him out [kill]’. But Mzee looked at him, shook his head, and said a firm No.”
Mr Njiru pauses for a moment, letting the weight of those words settle.
“Yes,” he says slowly, “some people inside Moi’s administration wanted Raila eliminated. But Mzee Moi refused. He said, ‘Let him continue. Kenya needs people like him."
Lee Njiru, former President Daniel arap Moi's press secretary during the interview at Ngata in Nakuru County on July 5, 2022.
Photo credit: Francis Mureithi| Nation Media Group
To Mr Njiru, that decision defined Mr Moi’s political maturity and Mr Odinga’s central role in Kenya’s democracy.
“Raila was an important and crucial component in Kenya’s political juggernaut — a man who challenged power, provoked debate, and pushed this country to evolve,” he says.
“It was confusing because from the beginning nobody was clear about Raila’s health status,” he said.
“People were unprepared for this national tragedy. When it was finally confirmed, I remembered the assassination of Julius Caesar and the words of Mark Antony — ‘Whence cometh such another?’ That is exactly what millions of Kenyans will ask. Raila was simply irreplaceable.”
“With Raila gone, the political tapestry of this country will change dramatically. He was a pillar — whether you loved him or not, you had to reckon with him. Ahead of 2027 and beyond, Kenya will see a shift in how politics is played.”
Mr Njiru’s connection with Mr Odinga runs deep. The two men worked closely when the former Prime Minister served as KANU secretary-general under Moi’s administration.
“He was tough — indefatigable,” Mr Njiru recalls with admiration. “When Raila set out to do something, he gave it everything. But behind that toughness, he was also a gentleman. People saw him as hard, even abrasive, but he was kind and deeply human.”
“About a month ago, I asked a friend for Raila’s phone number. I don’t know why. I called him three times but didn’t get through. I just wanted to hear his voice… maybe to say something I didn’t know I needed to say.”
The two last met at Lee Njiru Resort, where Mr Odinga visited three times to meet cultural leaders.
“We would talk and joke for hours,” he told Daily Nation.
“One day, Raila told me, ‘Lee, one of these days, let’s go to Embu and greet your people.’ I will never forget that.”
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Mr Njiru also remembers one memorable encounter at the US Ambassador’s residence in Muthaiga during an American Independence Day celebration.
“Raila came up to me, patted my back three times, and said, ‘Lee, you are a loyal person.’ He repeated it with that cheeky smile of his. That moment stayed with me forever,” he says with warmth.
“When Raila’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, died, Mzee Moi told me privately that he had no personal problems with the Odingas. He said he would fund the burial — and he did. I remember Raila coming to State House, Nakuru. The two smiled, shook hands, and Moi later attended Jaramogi’s funeral in Siaya. That’s the side of Moi people never saw — his human side.”
Mr Njiru says Mr Moi understood that Raila, like his father, had a deep vision for Kenya.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga (right), former President Daniel Moi (left) and Mrs Ida Odinga after a church service at AIC-Kabarak Community Chapel on July 8, 2012.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“He told me Raila was a man who saw far beyond politics. He understood Kenya’s place in Africa and the world.”
“I once challenged Raila to stop saying that Kenya and countries like South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore were at the same economic level at independence. I told him to move on from that argument,” Mr Njiru said.
“Raila looked at me and said, ‘Lee, if given a chance, I will take Kenya to the First World.’ He meant it. He had the passion and the plan.”
While Mr Njiru admired Mr Odinga’s vision, he disagreed with his bid for the African Union chairmanship, dismissing it as “a mirage built on fake African unity.”
Still, he says, Mr Odinga’s continental ambition showed his restless desire to make Africa better.
“They have been in all governments — Jomo Kenyatta’s, Moi’s, Kibaki’s, Uhuru’s, and now Ruto’s. They’ve benefited in every era, yet they’re the only dynasty that has never ruled,” he observes. “When people say Raila was the best president Kenya never had — that is a matter of conjecture. But one thing is certain: his influence is eternal.”
Mr Njiru believes history will remember Mr Odinga as a man who never gave up, who fought for democracy when it was dangerous to do so, and who inspired millions to believe in a better Kenya.
“I feel cheated,” he says quietly. “I was not prepared for this tragic national blow. Kenya has lost more than a politician — we’ve lost a force of nature.”
He adds, “Raila Odinga was the heartbeat of Kenya’s political rhythm. You could love him, hate him, fear him, or follow him — but you could never ignore him.
