Book exposes intrigue and drama in Kenyatta Cabinets

• The 368-page publication, put together by the Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board, focuses on Kenyatta’s life, Kenya’s journey into independence, the hallmarks of Mzee’s era and his death.
• The glossy book also has some landmark pictures including one of Kenyatta being sworn in as Kenya’s first Prime Minister by governor Malcolm Macdonald on June 13, 1963.
• Among the people who had great influence in the Kenyatta Cabinet were Jaramogi Oginga Odinga who was his Vice-President and minister in the first Cabinet before their fallout in 1966 when Jaramogi formed the Kenya Peoples Union.

Founding President Jomo Kenyatta’s Cabinets have been documented in a book to be launched on Wednesday.

The launch of the Kenyatta Cabinets: Drama. Intrigue. Triumph coincides with marking 34 years since  Kenya’s founding president died.

The 368-page publication, put together by the Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board, focuses on Kenyatta’s life, Kenya’s journey into independence, the hallmarks of Mzee’s era and his death.

The book also gives extensive biographical accounts of the 38 Cabinet ministers who served under Mzee Kenyatta and helped steer the newly independent Kenya into the nation it is today.

Unlike the current government which has more than 40 ministers, Mzee Kenyatta only served with 38 during his 15-year rule.

There’s, however, relief for Kenyans as the Constitution has set the maximum number of ministers, now called cabinet secretaries, the country should have at 22.

According to Information and Communications minister Samuel Poghisio, as Kenya’s founding father, Mzee Kenyatta and the Cabinet members that helped him lead a young and newly independent Kenya, “indeed gave us footing as a country through the leadership principles they instilled during the formative years of this country”.

“From this era, we learn the spirit of one-ness with which our founding father held the nation together at a delicate time when much was still uncharted for a country still grappling to adjust from colonialism to independence,” Mr Poghisio said.

Kenya Year Book board member Philip Ochieng’ said the book attempts to tell independent Kenya’s political history.

“The effort is informed by the belief that any society which desires to progress rapidly must first come to grips with the past. The reason seems self-evident. Only from the pages of history can a society find the lessons with which to tackle the present as it tries to build a better future,” Mr Ochieng said.

He added: “It does not matter whether the past is glorious, whether the lessons are positive. In fact, as one philosopher points out, it is often our failings — rather than our successes — that determine our ideals.”

The book notes that during Kenyatta’s time, the economy grew by leaps and bounds. The glossy book also has some landmark pictures including one of Kenyatta being sworn in as Kenya’s first Prime Minister by governor Malcolm Macdonald on June 13, 1963.

Another photo taken at the Bamburi Lodge, Mombasa, in 1970 shows Mzee Kenyatta with Mama Ngina and their children Muhoho, Nyokabi and Uhuru.

In another photo, former Cabinet minister Tom Mboya and now President Mwai Kibaki hug and jump for joy after Kanu’s victory over Kadu in the 1963 parliamentary elections as an overjoyed Mzee Kenyatta flashes the Kanu salute.

Among the people who had great influence in the Kenyatta Cabinet were Jaramogi Oginga Odinga who was his Vice-President and minister in the first Cabinet before their fallout in 1966 when Jaramogi formed the Kenya Peoples Union.

Jaramogi was to remain the father of opposition politics until his death in 1994.

Disbanding Kadu

Mr Daniel arap Moi, who was to rise to VP and rule Kenya for 24 years as president, also served in the Kenyatta Cabinet after disbanding Kadu.