Ex-soldiers to tell their story on 1982 coup bid

Did the government deliberately fail to stop the 1982 coup attempt?

This is the question as military officers sacked over the botched coup attempt prepare to appear before the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC).

The officers are expected to explain the August 1, 1982, revolt and its aftermath.

“They are claiming that they were tortured, never given a fair hearing, dismissed and that the government had a hand in the coup,” TJRC chief executive Patricia Nyaundi said.

To be notified

Former soldiers claimed during recent TJRC hearings that the coup attempt could not have happened without blessings from the top.

“They have named senior officials in their statements and memorandum and we will summon them when the right time comes to state whether they were involved or not,” Ms Nyaundi said.

She declined to name the accused, saying they will have to be notified first.

A memorandum handed over to the TJRC by the Victims of the 1982 Coup Attempt Welfare Association accuses the Moi regime of intentionally allowing a mutiny in the Air Force to get grounds for disbanding the unit.

“The Moi-Kanu Government knew about the imminent coup and chose not to stop it, occasioning great damage in terms of life and property,” the memorandum reads in part.

TJRC has recorded statements from over 500 former soldiers, out of the 1,423 dismissed from the forces. During the Court Martial hearings, there were hints that the government ignored warnings on the coup attempt.

“After investigation, we learnt that the Government had been warned when the plotters started arming themselves. Nothing was done.

“I don’t know why,” Maj-Gen (Rtd) Joseph Mbyati Musomba, the chairman of the Court Martial that tried the rebel soldiers, said in 2008.

Another troubling question is why Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers sent to investigate and arrest the coup plotters failed to do so.

There were plans

Senior sources in the military and government, who attended a meeting in Nyeri in 1982, told Nation on July 31, 2010 that President Moi was aware of the coup attempt.

“Everybody who needed to know knew that there were plans for a coup and the leaders were known,” Lt-Gen (retired) Humphrey Njoroge said.

“After the opening ceremonies of the Nyeri ASK Show on Friday, July 30, 1982, the chief of intelligence, James Kanyotu, asked President Moi for authority to arrest Sgt Joseph Ogidi, Cpl Charles Oriwa, Cpl Walter Ojode and Cpl Bramwel Njereman from the then Kenya Air Force, Nanyuki Station. He also wanted to arrest others from other KAF bases.” The arrests never took place.