Moi admitted to Nairobi Hospital for check-up

Former President Daniel arap Moi has been admitted to Nairobi Hospital for what the family said was routine check-up.

Sources within the family and the hospital told the Star Moi was admitted on Friday and he is set to spend some days at the hospital for intensive check-up.

“Nothing much to worry about. He is there for routine check-up and being attended to by his physician Dr David Silverstein . He is expected to spend a couple of days to allow the doctors sufficient time to check Mzee,” the source said.

Kanu secretary general Nick Salat confirmed that Moi was admitted.

“Yes, he is there just for normal check-up,” Salat, who was appointed in April, as chairman of the Postal Corporation, told the Star on phone.

But when the Star contacted Moi's press secretary Lee Njiru, he said he was not aware the former president was sick and hospitalised.

"I'm in Nakuru and I'm not aware of such reports. I will find out and I will let you know once I get a report on the same," Njiru told the Star on phone.

The admission of Moi comes days after Kenyans celebrated the return of Moi Day, a public holiday he created.

Moi Day was removed from the list of national holidays following promulgation of the Constitution in August 2010.

But the High Court reinstated the day to be marked as a holiday on grounds its removal was in contravention of the Public Holidays Act.

Kenya had been marking the holiday since 1988, when President Daniel arap Moi marked 10 years in power but it was scrapped in 2010.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Mating’i encouraged Kenyans to mark the day “with selfless acts of service to their community that seek to promote patriotism, national unity, social justice, cohesion and sustainable development in their communities for the benefit of present and future generations.”

It is not the first time Moi is being admitted to the same hospital. Last December, he was there for what his office said was a normal check-up.

In March 2018, Moi who turned 95 last month was flown to Israel following "an uncomfortable knee."

While the former president has enjoyed good health since leaving office in 2002, he has had a problem with one of his knees following an accident involving his car in 2006 in Limuru.

In January 27, 2017, he underwent a minor surgery on the knee at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi.

“The doctors of the former president have booked him in a hospital in Tel Aviv where they are eager to have a second opinion on his knee which has been a source of discomfort to him,” his office said last year when Moi was flown to Israel where he spent 6 days.

During his 95th birthday last month, unlike previous celebrations which have been characterised by pomp and colour, the event was a private function at his Kabarak home attended by close family members only.

Moi was born on September 2, 1924 and served as the second President of Kenya from 1978 to 2002.

He took over from Kenya's first president Jomo Kenyatta following his death on August 22, 1978.

Moi has kept off active politics but in the recent past since the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga he has been receiving huge delegations of politicians paying him homage.

His son and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi who is keen on succeeding Uhuru in 2022 has featured most in the high profile visits which political pundits believe could be part of planning of the Uhuru succession.

Those who have visited Mzee Moi include Uhuru, his mother Mama Ngina Kenyatta, Oding, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli.

May last year, DP Ruto made his way to Kabarak but failed to meet Moi as it was alleged that the retired president was undergoing a routine physiotherapy session with his doctors for the entire duration of the visit.