How Italian woman shocked parliament with details of her love affair with Kenyan President
"I would travel with him in the Presidential jet"
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Even when the President errs, there is always a reluctance to criticise or to point out the proverbial king’s nakedness.
It was therefore a shock to the nation when, in February 2005, an Italian socialite and business woman Marianne Brinner told a parliamentary committee that she had engaged in a love affair with former President Daniel arap Moi.
Ms Brinner testified before the Parliamentary Select Committee that established to investigate the death of former Foreign Affairs minister Robert Ouko.
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Kisumu Molasses Plant
"I have told you that in 1978-79, I had a relationship with Dr Njoroge Mungai (Former Defence minister under the late President Jomo Kenyatta). In 1979-81, I had a relationship with President Moi. After that, our relationship with Dr Mungai was revived,” Brianner stated.
She added that at the height of their romance, she would accompany the former President on the presidential jet on trips and they would be escorted by Air Force fighter jets.
Her company was interested in purchasing the Kisumu Molasses Plant, which featured prominently in the theories explaining Ouko’s death.
The investigators had theorised that Ouko may have been killed because he was investigating corruption deals in the privatisation of the Kisumu Plant.
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Moi, through his then lawyer Mutula Kilonzo, vehemently denied the allegations and threatened to sue, although the matter was not taken to court.
Interestingly, Ms Brinner was to later be a factor in the firing of journalist Jeff Koinange’s from CNN.
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