Njoki Ndung'u was demanding State House keys - DP William Ruto reveals secrets of 2002 Presidential succession

Njoki Ndung'u was demanding State House keys - DP Ruto reveals succession secrets

Tony Mukere

February 7, 2020 9:48 AM

"It was chaos!"

Deputy President William Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto on Thursday night shed light on some of the insider secrets that characterized the 2002 transfer of power from former President Daniel arap Moi to Kenya's third President Mwai Kibaki.

Ruto said he was one of the few politicians who stuck with Moi and the Kanu candidate - Uhuru Kenyatta - who lost to Kibaki who rode to State House on the Narc wave.

The DP said that at the time, many people, both in Opposition and in the Kanu government, believed that the the late Moi would not handover power - creating a chaotic transfer of power.

He recalled that at one time, Njoki Ndung'u, who is now a Supreme Court Judge, led a team of NARC operatives in storming State House demanding for the residence's keys.

"The handover was very chaotic. We were prepared to escort Moi to Uhuru Park to handover power to Kibaki but the head of the presidential security team told us that things were extremely bad. The crowd was hostile against Moi and his security told us that they could only provide security to the departing head of state so we were asked to go home. "

"I remember on that particular day before we could leave for State House. Njoki Ndung'u arrived with a group and they said they wanted the keys to State House (chuckles). We were looking and surprised at how fast this thing was moving," Ruto narrated.

Ndung'u was at the time a strategist in Kibaki's election campaign team, before he was later nominated to Parliament on a NARC ticket.

She also served on the team of experts that came up with the current Constitution (2010) before being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2011.

The DP gave credit to Kibaki, saying the incoming President was gracious and allowed Moi to leave State House honorably via a state chopper that flew him to Kabarak.

Tony Mukere