Kosgey: The veteran politician with nine lives

Upon re-election in 1985, Kosgey was appointed by former President Moi as Minister for Co-operative Development before being moved in a reshuffle in 1987 to the Ministry of Culture and Social Services.

The ministry, though seen to be less glamorous, was tasked with preparing the 1988 All Africa Games which Kenya hosted.

Though the games were billed as a success, an American Dick Berg who had been awarded an advertising contract fled the country with millions of shillings shortly after the competitions closed.

As a result, Kosgey was accused of being involved in the scandal – the first in his political career. But the MP denied the allegations saying the contract was awarded long before he was appointed to the docket.

Abuse of office

Though a commission of inquiry later cleared him, the matter has remained a blot on his career.

The collapse of KNA in 1996 was partly blamed on the minister who was chairman between 1990-1992, when he was in the political cold.

He had lost his parliamentary seat to politician Sego during the 1988 infamous mlolongo election said to have been rigged.

But Kosgey denied the claims saying he was only KNA chairman for two years. It collapsed four years after he left.

Upon re-election to Parliament in 1992, he remained a backbencher until 1996 when a Cabinet reshuffle saw him land in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, replacing  former Mosop MP John Sambu.

When Kosgey was re-elected to Parliament in 1997, he was appointed Tourism minister at a time the country was undergoing turbulent economic times due to negative publicity the Government attracted in the international arena.

After only a year in office, Osama Bin Laden led Al Qaeda terrorist group bombed the American Embassy in Nairobi. The uphill task of restoring investor and tourism confidence fell on Kosgey’s shoulders as Tourism minister.