James Kanyotu: The most elusive dreaded spy chief who warned Moi of 1982 coup plot

James Kanyotu

 He was Kenya’s longest-serving spy, the most elusive and dreaded. He was part of all major political events that shaped Kenya, for better or worse. But for the 27 years he headed the Directorate of Security Intelligence (‘Special Branch’), the public never knew how burly Kanyotu looked - from 1965 until his retirement in 1991.

Media houses had no photo of Kanyotu until he was forced to testify during the Goldenberg Commission of Inquiry in 2004 into how Kenya lost over Sh60 billion through Goldenberg International, where he was a director alongside Kamlesh Pattni.