Kenyatta’s death caused by neglect, says ex press chief

• Njiru paints a disturbing picture of Mzee Kenyatta as too sick to govern in a close-typed five-page statement released to the press on Saturday.
• He says there was no resident physician or cardiologist at his side at the time of Kenyatta's death.
• his is probably the first time Mr Njiru is issuing a statement without Mr Moi’s authority.

I have great respect for Mzee Kenyatta’s nurse, Isabella. But it should be appreciated that her training was limited in respect of Mzee Kenyatta’s condition, status and age.

The biggest blunder was that there was no official car for her to accompany Mzee wherever he went. But the handlers made available a Mercedes Benz limousine for the women police escorts whose role was purely decorative.

Selfish gains

The judges’ register which is still in use is a strong indictment of Kenyatta’s inner circle. Most of those around him were expected to be of use to him, but they instead used him for their selfish gains.

Outwardly, they pretended to love Mzee, while in fact they used him as an object of exploitation. They should have been prosecuted for criminal negligence.

In case the late president needed any assistance at night and especially in Nakuru, it could have been difficult to get it.

After the night entertainment, most of these aides trooped to Stag’s Head Hotel to drink themselves silly while their praises were sung by an accordionist going by the name Wakidole.

Kenyatta’s physician, Dr Eric Mngola was just an occasional visitor. I should guess that he did not get sufficient appreciation from the aides.

Even when it was obvious that Kenyatta was battling with vicissitudes of age, a weak heart and hateful politics, his aides did not put in place contingency plans wherever he went.

There was nobody and nothing between Kenyatta and mortality.

In all state houses and lodges, there were no buttons for Kenyatta to press in case he needed emergency attention at night.

These things did not bother the aides as they were befuddled by alcohol, stupidity and sheer lack of social tact.

Instead of giving Kenyatta the succour he needed, these people pre-occupied themselves with plots, schemes and conspiracies to block Vice-President Daniel arap Moi from ascending to the presidency. Mr Moi had not told anybody that he wanted to become president.

Kenyatta’s inner circle wanted the announcement of the death and swearing in of the new president delayed.

But they were in for a shock. General Jackson Kimeu Mulinge warned them that the Armed Forces needed a Commander-in-Chief immediately or else....