Sally Kosgei’s heartwarming tribute to Moi leaves Kenyans in awe

Former Head of Public Service Dr Sally Kosgei gave a moving tribute to the late Mzee Daniel Arap Moi.

Speaking during Moi’s funeral service in Kabarak on Wednesday, Kosgei fondly remembered her first interaction with the former President.

She said that although she was still young and fresh out of college, Mzee Moi encouraged her to further her education up to PhD level.

On her interactions with Mzee Moi while in cabinet, Kosgei stated that her colleagues would often send her to the President since he treated women with a lot of respect.

“If he called me Daktari I knew I was okay…if he called me Sally I knew I was fine but if he received me saying ‘child’ in his softest voice, I knew I was in trouble.

“If he was very angry with me he would send Joshua Kulei…we had many meetings on intelligence but everything was confidential…leaking of information was out of the question,” she said.

Further, Kosgei reflected on the 2002 power-shift when Moi had completed his term and his preferred successor Uhuru Kenyatta had been floored in the election.

“I gave him the two possible speeches for Uhuru…he accepted them and put them in his cabinet,” she recalled.

Kosgei also noted that when Mzee Moi was sworn in for the last time, his speech was precise and echoed what he intended to do upon completion of his term.

“On his instruction, the speech had only five paragraphs…three of them starting with the same phrase, “In this my last term in office…” she said.

Adding: “He was ready to hand over power.”

Mzee Moi was also strict timekeeper that he once fired a Minister who arrived late for dinner with former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.