The day Moi gave me a ride to school

Cynthia Wangui (pictured), a Nakuru-based journalist will forever be grateful to former President Daniel Moi after he surprised her with a lift to school.

Wangui, her elder brother and younger sister, who lived in Ol Rongai near Kabarak at President Moi’s home, used public transport every day to get to Moi Primary School in Nakuru town.

“Matatus were few and when we missed the first one, it was almost obvious that we would get to school late. At times the matatus would ignore us, forcing us to trek all the way. Teachers never understood and would severely punish us,” said Wangui.

Normally, President Moi would visit his Kabarak home on weekends when he would attend church services in Rongai or Baringo. But on rare occasions, the former Head of State would be around on weekdays.

“It was on a Wednesday morning and we didn’t expect him. As we waited for a matatu his motorcade snaked along the Nakuru-Sigor road. He stopped where we were and told us to board his black Volkswagen,” said Wangui.

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On board were the President, his Aide De Camp and driver, which made the three siblings freeze in fear, even as Moi treated them to stories on the way.

After dropping his brother to his school, the retired president took Wangui and her sister to Moi Primary School in the outskirts of Nakuru town. The President’s appearance at the school brought all activities at the institution to a standstill.

“Some parents had brought their children and could not drive out before he left. He alighted and addressed the school,” said Wangui.

This marked the last day she was punished for being late to school. The teachers now understood the distance she had to cover and began favouring her and her siblings, perhaps because word had gone round that they are the President’s neighbours.

Weeks later as she waited for a matatu outside the school, the President’s motorcade snaked by on it’s way to Nakuru Statehouse and, again, offered her a ride. It almost became routine to get such random rides, winning her bragging rights among peers, now that her family had become familiar with the president.