Eshiwani: Master of the political chess board

Many Kenyans will remember Prof George Eshiwani, who is being buried today in his Khwisero home in Kakamega County, as the longest-serving vice-chancellor of Kenyatta University.

However, there is another aspect of the mathematics professor’s life that many do not know.

He was a lethal behind-the- scenes political strategist who helped a monolithic Kanu survive the winds of change that swept across Africa in the 1990s.

Prof Eshiwani, the politician, used his academic position to mobilise lecturers and students to support the Moi regime.

Earlier, a Kanu committee headed by Vice-President George Saitoti had gone around the country gathering public opinion on the clamour for a return to multipartyism.

The team came up with a surprising recommendation that Kenyans did not want multiparty politics but instead demanded the opening up of democratic space.

To the contrary, Kenyans had overwhelmingly told the Saitoti committee to repeal Section 2(A) of the old Constitution - which made Kanu the sole political party - to pave the way for multipartyism.

The Weekly Review, a respected political magazine, published a cover story on these happenings headlined “100 lecturers oppose multi-party”.

SUPPORT FOR KANU

The story perplexed many as it was in sync with Saitoti’s propaganda.

Prof Eshiwani, then the Principal of Jomo Kenyatta University College of Agriculture and Technology, then a constituent college of Kenyatta University, and Prof Phillip Mbithi, vice-chancellor of the University of Nairobi, had lobbied and mobilised a section of lecturers to lend their support to Kanu.

The 100 “invisible” lecturers from Jkucat, the UoN, Kenyatta and Moi universities then kicked off a pro-Kanu crusade to fight a charging Opposition. The bid helped President Daniel arap Moi remain in State House for the next 10 years.

Their leaders were rewarded handsomely. Prof Mbithi was appointed head of Public Service and secretary to the Cabinet, replacing Joseph arap Leting. Prof Eshiwani was elevated to be Kenyatta University’s vice-chancellor, holding the position for 12 years, one of the longest tenures in Kenyan history.

The two professors will be remembered for their unique style of running public universities. They introduced a Soviet Union-style cell system among students, who gathered intelligence within the institutions in a move that tamed perennial student riots.

This influence also helped Kanu cling to power, as the Opposition could not mobilise the students in its corner.

Prof Eshiwani was also instrumental in the Youth for Kanu lobby group that campaigned for Moi in 1992.

Though he was not visible in the Cyrus Jirongo-led lobby, he used his university position to lobby for Kanu. He was the brains behind a group of academics who offered their services to the ruling party.

They included professors Chris Wanjala, Henry Mwanzi, Henry Indangasi and Eric Aseka.
Prof Eshiwani was also behind a series of pro-Kanu articles in the media, some of which were authored by Prof Aseka, discrediting the Opposition and celebrating Kanu achievements ahead of the elections.

I met Prof Eshiwani in August 1998 at the site of US Embassy in Nairobi that had just been bombed by terrorists and asked him what he was doing there. He laughed and quipped: “This is our country; the American Statue of Liberty has been exported to Kenya.”

FULL OF HUMOUR

The son of Ebukambuli in Khwisero wore a ready smile, struck a photogenic pose, was full of humour and had ready answers.

He would pop up a problem, and then provide the answer. His power of persuasion and gift of the gab was a phenomenon commonly discussed by fellow academics at the UoN’s Senior Common Room, where lecturers converged to socialise.

A common joke that did the rounds was that Prof Eshiwani, like Squealer in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, could readily turn black into white in an argument.

Born in 1941, he went to Ekambuli Primary School in Khwisero in 1949, then Namasoli Intermediate School, where he passed the KAPE in 1958 and proceeded to Kakamega High School in 1959.

He sat the Cambridge (O-Level) in 1962 and the A-Level in 1964. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Chemistry from the UoN in 1967. He taught at Alliance High School before going to Stanford University, USA, for Master’s and PhD degrees in mathematics.

Prof Eshiwani also served as chairman of the Kenya National Examinations Council, President of the Association of African Universities, vice-president of the International Council for Open and Distance Education and founding president of the African Virtual University.

He was also the first pro-chancellor at Mount Kenya University and founding chairman of the Council (governing body) of the Technical University of Kenya.

Prof Eshiwani, 74, was married to Grace and Rebecca with whom they were blessed with 10 children.