Members of Parliament on Monday held special sittings in both the Senate and the National Assembly to pay tribute to for President Daniel arap Moi who died last week.
Moi served as MP for more than 35 years.
In the National Assembly, members observed one minute of silence in honour of the former president before the session began.
Ijara MP Sophia Abdi Noor led the House in singing “Tawala Kenya Tawala” and “Kanu Yajenga Nchi” songs, which were composed during Moi’s reign to praise his leadership.
Speaker Justin Muturi allocated members one minute each to convey their condolences.
Majority leader Aden Duale said Moi was a self-made politician who will be remembered for playing a key role in ensuring Kenyans had access to education, especially at primary and secondary levels.
The Garissa Township MP hailed Moi for steering the revival of the East African Community and for promoting peace within the region.
“I will remember him for consolidating peace and tranquility in the region. He also ensured Kenya played a role restoring peace in areas ravaged by war,” Duale said.
“I remember him for his famous quote of siasa mbaya maisha mbaya."
Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi thanked the Speaker for convening the session in respect to the former president.
"I benefited directly from Moi as a student. I remember it was in the year 1990 when I was a school leader, he gave me the opportunity to fly with him to Rwanda,” Cheboi said.
Otiende Amollo (Rarieda) and his Suba North's Millie Odhiambo also praised Moi for having a forgiving heart.
Soi MP Caleb Kositany said Moi will be remembered for forgiving those who had wronged him and asking for forgiveness from those he had hurt.
“Kenyans thank him for handing over power peacefully. He was a tolerant man and ignored all the chaos and the insults he encountered during the handing over ceremony,” Kositany said.
At the Senate, members lauded Moi not only as a peace-loving leader but a man who went out of his way to unite the nation.
Senate Minority leader James Orengo who served with Moi in the August House said Kenyans should not continue living in the past. He praises the former president for his role to unite the nation.
“One of the things Moi did, he tried to bring the country together. Those who were alive when Mzee Kenyatta died agree that the country was divided. If some leader would have taken over when Kenyatta died, I don’t think there would have been peace,” Orengo said.
Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen said Moi prone to make mistakes.
“President Moi was a human being and he made mistakes,” Murkomen said.
Nominated Senator Beth Mugo said, “Our country will remember Moi especially on education. He also advocated for girl-child education.”
She added, “Moi was a very humble person despite all the powers he had. Even as he drove from Nakuru, he could stop by the roadside to buy bananas.”
Busia Senator Amos Wako who served as Attorney General for the longest time during Moi’s 24-year rule said the former head of state served with humility.
“When the founding father passed on, he was described as Moses of Kenya. Daniel Moi can appropriately be referred to as Joshua of Kenya,” Wako said.
“When there was a demonstration about Saba Saba, I was out of the blues appointed Attorney General. I thought I would not last for three months given my predecessors had not lasted more than one year. I stayed in for 12 years. AG job was under attack every month, I would forever be very grateful to Moi for having protected me despite a lot of noise going on.”
“It has been said Moi was a dictator, when he made the announcement in Kasarani that section 2A would be repealed, he had told me earlier that was the direction Kenya must go.”
edited by peter obuya
