Our country is still reeling from the sudden and untimely death of Joseph Nkaissery. The media headlines of the past few days have been, perhaps inevitably, dominated by the nature and cause of his unexpected passing.
But the legacy of this great Kenyan (who I worked with and will remember fondly) will not be found in the manner in which he left this earth, but in the way he lived his life on it. And in this, there is much for us to learn, especially as the country prepares to do its democratic duty at the ballot box.
As we determine this country’s future next month, there is plenty that Joseph Nkaissery can teach us.
As a Cabinet secretary, he will rightly be remembered as a man of action, somebody who got things done. And there are very few of those in the Public Service now. He stood out, tall. Always an army general at heart, Nkaissery demanded efficiency. Under his command, orders were followed, plans executed. On his watch, the police force grew in numbers and equipment.
Significant reduction
He also determinedly oversaw a significant reduction of weapons on our streets and in our neighbourhoods – an achievement few thought possible. And now it has emerged that although it wasn’t within his ministerial remit, Nkaiserry personally ensured that preparations were completed for the World Under-18 Athletics Championships. We have lost a leader who knew how to achieve, how to reach even difficult targets.
As we look ahead, we must ask who can best take over the reins and continue Nkaissery’s legacy of achievement and progress. Nkaissery took to heart his boss Uhuru Kenyatta’s urgency to deliver first to the people.
All of which brings us to another of Nkaissery’s positive traits, which leaders must now look to emulate – placing the common good above all else. His 29-year military career quite rightly commanded immediate respect. There was no doubt that Nkaissery was a man who put his country first. Even in military retirement, he unequivocally answered to the call of duty, playing a significant role in the launch of ‘Operation Linda Nchi’ in 2011.
This selfless, patriotic attitude was perhaps never more evident than in Nkaissery’s decision to become the Cabinet Secretary for Interior in 2014. He put his political affiliations to one side because the call to serve his country transcended everything else.
Credit must also be given to the President for looking beyond traditional party lines for the sake of making the right choice. And there is no doubt that Nkaissery was the right choice. Although the choice exposed the fault lines in our politics, I am sure many Kenyans look back and say the gamble was worth the trouble.
Yet there are those in his party, ODM, who simply could not understand how anything, even national duty, could trump politics and were quick to criticise him. That is not right and they must have been proved wrong. Because after all, Kenya belongs to us all no matter the party allegiance.
And in the wake of Nkaissery’s death, further examples are coming to light of his supreme commitment towards Kenyan harmony and unity above all else. In the last few days, former Narok South MP Nkoidila ole Lankas revealed that Nkaissery may have in fact preserved the peace of the nation. He recalls that following the disputed 2007 presidential election results, Nkaissery flatly refused to support attempts to establish a parallel ODM government. Perhaps, the betrayal of the Constitution, the impending anarchy, was something he could not countenance.
And yet, Nkaissery’s dedication to country and Constitution did not in any way diminish his loyalty towards his Maasai community. The two were never in competition, rather they complemented each other. Again, it stands in stark contrast to recent comments urging Maasai landowners not to sell their property to supposed “outsiders”. For Nkaissery, there were no outsiders, only Kenyans. And that is what mattered most to him.
Major General Joseph Kasaine ole Nkaissery’s contribution to our national life and security is immense. But we must not allow it to become a thing of the past, a note in our history. His memory must be kept alive.
Ms Nyamai is the Kitui South MP
