Why newsrooms are obsessed with Daniel Moi

Journalists covering an event in Nakuru. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Former President Daniel arap Moi was not a riddle because if he were, no one would write newsworthy stories about him. I strongly believe he was an African proverb. African proverbs are not complete without a moral lesson or two.

There was this narrative that started back in his time and continues today about how, during his reign, everything in the media started with him, built its substance on him and ended with him.

Most antagonists associated this ‘Mtukufu Rais Daniel Toriotich arap Moi’ journalistic style to his supposed fist of fury.

Going by his current omnipresence in the news media in death, this theory is a moving target.

During his reign, Moi was felt everywhere; but our founding father Jomo Kenyatta was also felt everywhere.

The difference is that where as Mzee Kenyatta was everywhere and people whispered about him, Moi was everywhere and everyone was at ease to shout about him.

I could be wrong, but how on earth did this man manage to mingle with the holoi poloi that they have rich memories of him that are filling our media spaces?

Even after his reign in 2002, he has been absent and enjoying his private life at Kabarak farm, but explicitly omnipresent. Let me explain why. Many African states during his time were known for elevating the heads of states to high heavens. Of course, all heads of states were symbols of national unity.

A satirical short story by E B Dongala titled, ‘The Man’, written to reflect the regime of the then Congo in 1973, captures in an exaggerated manner the way a head of state captured in the short story had his content published “in every issue at least four pages of letters in which citizens proclaimed their undying affection”.

It seems, the media created heads of states because where else could they get content that carried the principle of prominence which is so critical in journalism?

In most African countries, when heads of states exited power, their monuments were pulled down once and for all.

This was not possible with Moi. He left imprints everywhere and the media has always fed into his legacy, which is richer among the common mwananchi than in the cities.

Football match

If the media is not reporting about a football match in Nyayo Stadium, they are reporting about Moi High School Kabarak for being the top KCSE performer in the Rift Valley region or in Kenya or President Moi’s proselytes like William Ruto and Raila Odinga are being interviewed on a TV station regarding their relationship with Uhuru Kenyatta.

Cultural institutions in Kenya are full of Moi—be it the fathers of comedy who dramatised Reddykyulas or the memories of that time when there was one common university Chancellor and Chancellor’s luncheons were something to reckon with during graduation ceremonies.

As for editors in our newsrooms, who can fathom the fond memories of these millennials? It was during their heydays in school when they used to line-up to perform for the head of state—a political ritual motivated by a thousand reasons.

Chief of them was if the school needed a bus or funds to complete some project, he was generous enough to give if only you could please his heart with a praise song and a dance.

In this, Moi knew no pledges—he provided what he promised, unlike our politicians today who are weighed down by empty pledges made in churches and other fundraiser drives.

Who can get out of the blood stream of millennial journalists the Nyayo milk that they drank? And if the milk has dried up, what about the loyalty they pledged to the president and the nation of Kenya—a pledge that was compulsory as a qualifier for Form One entry in all public schools.

For our news media to dedicate all airtime on TV and radio, and newspaper space to Moi in the last few days is not something that every former head of state in Africa can achieve—Moi is a local content unto himself. His fond memories can generate enough content to fill the media for some time.

Another reason why Moi was being missed in the newsroom is because of the rich history that his life story pours.

History is sweeter than a gossip. This history that journalists read in books was presented to them to rewrite the way they learnt, albeit in their own words and spicing.

This same history is so sweet because it feels like an original copy of our current affairs.

Who would ever know that as the current leaders kneel in public for prayers, their mentor knelt in private for the same?

Dr Ndonye is a lecturer, Kabarak University Department of Mass Communication