Moi thrown and trapped in a car trunk? Yes

The Luo community has been known to produce legendary opportunistic strikers. What do I mean by opportunistic strikers? These are players who can sense a goal-scoring opportunity and create something out of nothing. I’m thinking of names like Peter Dawo, a very sensational striker.

Similarly, the Luo have also produced opportunistic politicians, though few have viewed them in this light. One such figure is Tom Mboya, who seized opportunities and turned them into something remarkable. However, there’s another lesser-known figure who, although not a politician, played politics skillfully and shrewdly to achieve remarkable feats.

This man was called Hezekiah Oyugi. At the height of his power, Oyugi had ministers and cabinet members kneeling before him, despite being just a Permanent Secretary. Previously a District Commissioner (DC), then Provincial Commissioner (PC), and finally a Permanent Secretary, Oyugi rose from very humble beginnings to take full advantage of the opportunities before him.

An extremely intelligent man, Oyugi's rise was both calculated and fascinating. It is believed that he developed a close relationship with President Moi—then Vice President—during his tenure as the Nakuru DC. Nakuru was both Moi’s home district and a hub of the powerful Kikuyu elite, commonly known as the “Kiambu Mafia.”

As DC of Nakuru, Oyugi gained access to sensitive information and passed it on to Moi. This intelligence strengthened Moi’s position significantly. At the time, few imagined that the humble Vice President, Moi, would ascend to the presidency. The powerful Kiambu Mafia was firmly aligned against him and had even begun lobbying to change the constitution to prevent Moi from automatically assuming the presidency after Kenyatta's death.

It is believed that Oyugi alerted Moi to an assassination plot against him. When the constitutional change effort failed due to a lack of support from Jomo Kenyatta, the Kiambu Mafia devised another plan to block Moi’s ascension.

Upon Kenyatta's death, Oyugi played a critical role in securing Moi’s safety and ensuring he reached Nairobi amidst the chaos. Oyugi arranged for Moi’s security and orchestrated a strategy to outmaneuver the Kiambu Mafia, whose influence extended across security forces, the police, and other government institutions.

At the time of Kenyatta's death, then-Attorney General Charles Njonjo sent a plane to Moi's farm to escort him to Nairobi. However, in a fascinating twist, Moi did not board the plane. Instead, he returned to Nakuru, where he met Oyugi. Moi was reportedly unaware of Kenyatta's death until Oyugi informed him.

Oyugi then discreetly drove Moi to Nairobi in the boot of an old Peugeot 504. It was a bizarre yet necessary measure to protect Moi’s life and ensure his safe arrival in the capital. This entire operation, carried out at great personal risk by Oyugi, solidified his untouchable status in Moi’s government. Indeed, Oyugi became one of the few non-Kalenjin individuals to enjoy such influence under Moi's administration.

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