The day Moi ordered a new 'rungu' be flown to Australia

Following in the steps of Kenya's founding father Jomo Kenyatta, who had in his hand a fly whisk whenever he appeared in public, Kenya's second President Daniel arap Moi had a ‘rungu’ (a wooden baton bearing special symbolism in some cultures), which he carried everywhere.

Political analysts say Moi’s rungu was a symbol of power and authority borrowed from his native Kalenjin community.

The return of Moi Day that has been dogged by 31 years of controversy, rekindles memories of the three decades which Moi used his trademark baton to ‘rule’.

Recently, Mzee Moi’s long-serving press secretary Lee Njiru revealed how one day in 1981 Moi’s rungu caused panic when it fell and broke into two pieces as Moi walked down the stairs at the residence of the then Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley.

The incident happened while the president was in Los Angeles after attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Speaking on Citizen TV's Jeff Koinange Live Show, Njiru said it was a terrible situation because this happened as Moi was getting ready to leave Los Angeles to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Melbourne, Australia and there was no way he would appear in public without his mark of authority.

“A solution had to be found — fast,” said Njiru and adds that calls were made to State House, Nairobi for a new rungu to be flown to Australia.

According to Njiru, one of Moi’s aides Peter Rotich was immediately ordered to collect a new baton from Nairobi and fly it to Sydney, Australia.

Rotich had to connect flight across South East Asia via South Africa to deliver a new rungu to the President in Australia.

“We had to stay in Honolulu, Hawaii because we had telephoned Nairobi, we got one of Mzee’s personal assistants called Peter Rotich. We told him to take two ivory batons and go to Southern Africa and fly to Australia before we got there,” said Njiru.

“Rotich had to be there before Moi lands in Australia since Mzee Moi had to greet people waving the baton which was akin to President Kenyatta’s fly whisk.”

Rotich arrived on time in Australia, got into the President’s plane and handed him the baton.

Moi then disembarked the plane waving his trademark symbol of authority unbeknownst to people the chaos that had been witnessed by those closest to the president.