Kenya's ex-President Daniel arap Moi, who died last week at the age of 95 and ruled the country for more than two decades will be buried Wednesday with full military honors. He has ruled the East African nation since the death of Jomo Kenyatta, the first President, in 1978 and has survived a coup attempt, tribal unrest and economic upheaval. Kenya remained an island of political stability in East Africa, but a democracy in name only and a land, on the Indian Ocean, of stark contrasts: dire poverty and fabulous wealth, natural beauty and decaying infrastructures, luxury safaris for foreigners and vast slums for Kenyans, who faced unemployment, crime, epidemic AIDS and one of the world’s highest infant mortality rates. The death of former Kenyan president, Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, in a private hospital in the capital, Nairobi, is bound to reopen old wounds in the country’s national psyche. Daniel arap Moi, who has died aged 95, was born into a poor peasant family in the Rift Valley in British colonial Kenya, and rose to become one of … At the African Mission School at Kabartonjo, Mr. Moi became a Christian and adopted the name Daniel. As Mr. Moi retired, his successors found even more corruption and human rights abuses than had been suspected. Mr. Moi was never prosecuted, though corruption inquiries implicated him and his family. But Mr. Moi had the right to dismiss judges and other officials, and he and his party controlled legislation and the courts, overriding decisions and suppressing democratic reforms. Although some 1,000 people died in clashes over constitutional reforms, multiparty elections were held in 1992 and 1997. Official corruption, abuse of power and a deteriorating economy exploded in 1982 in an attempted coup by low-ranking air force officers. Daniel Arap Moi is a member of Richest Celebrities and World Leaders. He also … In an effort to combat corruption, in 1999 he appointed Richard Leakey, the popular and respected anthropologist, the head of the civil service and permanent secretary to the cabinet, a position Leakey retired from in 2001. Feb. 4 (UPI) --Daniel arap Moi, the second president of the Republic of Kenya who ruled the country for more than 20 years, died Tuesday at the … September 1924 in Kurieng’wo bei Sacho, Baringo-Distrikt; † 4. But it was a democracy in name only, as the economy stagnated and corruption flourished. Those born under the Virgo zodiac sign have capable, organized and analytical minds, which often makes them a pleasure to chat with. Kenya's longest-serving president. Moi became a teacher at age 21 and in the early 1960s, as Kenya began to move toward independence (1963), was appointed minister of education in the transitional government. Kenya has had its fair share of assassinations, but Robert Ouko’s … That same year Moi was appointed minister of home affairs. Lena died in 2004. Daniel is turning 97 years old in He and Uhuru Kenyatta both served terms as President of Kenya. He is different. “We recognize that former President Daniel arap Moi is an important democratic commodity, not only for us, but for Africa,” Mr. Kibaki’s anticorruption chief, John Githongo, told The New York Times in 2003. Nairobi, KenyaFormer Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi, who ruled the country for 24 years, has died, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced Tuesday. Daniel arap Moi Early Life. Kenya’s former President Daniel arap Moi has died, aged 95. Daniel Toroitich arap Moi (2 September 1924 – 4 February 2020) was a Kenyan politician. Updates? But Mr. Moi, who also controlled the news media and the police and military services, and whose pronouncements had the force of law, closed the universities and suppressed his opponents with detentions, torture and killings, according to United Nations investigators and human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Africa Watch. Two years later, when black Kenyans were allowed to vote, he was elected to the council. In 1982, after crushing an uprising by air force officers, he ordered the arrest of the entire 2,100-member air corps. Thus "Mama Ngina", the wife of Jomo Kenyatta, retained her first lady status. He served as the 2nd President of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. In 1979, 1983 and 1988, he and his Kenya African National Union ran unopposed. He also ordered all civil servants to join the ruling political party, of which he was president. He led Kenya for 24 years before stepping down in 2002. But after the Cold War, the West no longer regarded Kenya as a strategic outpost, and Mr. Moi was increasingly seen as a despot. Kenya. He won Western support with anticommunist policies during the Cold War. Kenya in 2003 found $1 billion in stolen funds in overseas accounts. Many Kenyans regarded Mr. Moi as puritanical because he did not drink alcohol or smoke, denounced hippies and miniskirts, led Kenya’s Boy Scouts and recited aphorisms against materialism and acquisitiveness. 1924 born in farming community. KANU split in two, with dissidents joining the National Rainbow Coalition, whose candidate, Mwai Kibaki, succeeded Moi in December 2002. Mr. Moi lacked the Kenyatta magnetism and was little known abroad until he became president, but he was moderately popular at home. In a nation dominated by the Kikuyu tribe and its chief rival, the Luo, the Moi family belonged to the Kalenjin minority, one of several dozen tribal groups. Although he had originally been cofounder and chairman of the Kenya African Democratic Union, a party composed of minority peoples, he joined the Kikuyu-dominated Kenya African National Union (KANU) in 1964. 1978 becomes president. Daniel Arap Moi zodiac sign is a Virgo. Hundreds were imprisoned or executed, and the service’s ranks were replaced. Daniel arap Moi, Autocratic and Durable Kenyan Leader, Dies at 95, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/03/obituaries/daniel-arap-moi-dead.html. In the early 1990s, however, Western countries began to demand political and economic reforms, leading Moi to legalize opposition parties in 1991. Daniel arap Moi married Lena Moi (born Helena Bommet) in 1950, but they separated in 1974, before his presidency. He’s just not any other guy.”. Required by the constitution to resign in 2003, Moi backed Uhuru Kenyatta, son of Jomo Kenyatta, as the KANU candidate in the 2002 elections, but many feared that Kenyatta would be a puppet for Moi. Media Company Dedicated to the enhancement of human life. The rule of Kenya's second president, Daniel arap Moi, was marked by a deepening of corruption and nepotism. Daniel arap Moi. They had five sons and two daughters and adopted a third daughter. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. He oversaw an island of political stability in Africa for decades. Coup. He quickly consolidated his power, banning opposition parties and promoting his Kalenjin countrymen to positions of authority at the expense of the Kikuyu. After leaving the presidency, he lived quietly, largely shunned by Kenya’s political establishment, but drew crowds in public. 7 talking about this. Named vice president in 1967, Moi became president in 1978 following the death of Jomo Kenyatta. Moi was seen as a unifying figure when he took power in 1978. Despite Western military and economic aid and income from tourists drawn to Kenya’s game preserves, the economy lagged for most of Mr. Moi’s tenure, mired in corruption that affected all manner of transactions, from cab rides and the delivery of goods and services to bribery and kickbacks in public and private dealings. Daniel arap Moi, in full Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, (born September 2, 1924, Kuriengwo, Kenya Colony [now Kenya]—died February 4, 2020, Nairobi, Kenya), Kenyan politician, … Daniel arap Moi first became president of Kenya in 1978. He was chosen by his uncle, a local chief, to attend the … Daniel Toroitich arap Moi (* 2. He supported a son of Jomo Kenyatta, but Mwai Kibaki, who had lost to Mr. Moi in 1992 and 1997, and who was nearly killed in a traffic accident during the campaign, won the presidency by a 2-to-1 margin. The assassination of Robert Ouko. Daniel arap Moi, the autocratic president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002, who ruled his East African nation in a postcolonial era of political repression, economic … Fifteen years after Kenya won independence from Britain in 1963, Mr. Moi became president on the death of Jomo Kenyatta, the country’s founding father. Among the children are Gideon Moi (Senator , Baringo County), Jonathan Toroitich (a former rally driver) and Philip Moi (a retired army officer).His older and only brother William Tuitoek died in 1995. When he was still vice president, Mr. Moi met President Jimmy Carter at the White House in 1978, and after becoming president he met President Ronald Reagan there in 1981 and 1987 (when he also met Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in London). President Daniel Arap Moi was no ordinary man as occasioned by the declaration of a time of national mourning by President Uhuru Kenyatta. Easily elected to his fifth term as president, Moi promised to end government corruption and implement democratic and economic reforms. Grab a copy of our NEW encyclopedia for Kids! Mr. Moi handled day-to-day government affairs and represented Kenya at the Organization of African Unity, the first continentwide association of independent states, and other international forums. Former Kenya President Daniel arap Moi – whose 24 years in power were marred by repression of his critics and economic turmoil – has died Tuesday at the age of 95. In 2005, he opposed a new constitution, which was defeated in a referendum. Februar 2020 in Nairobi ) war von 1978 bis 2002 zweiter Präsident von Kenia. In 1960, he joined a London conference that drew up a Kenyan constitution authorizing African political parties. Former Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi (left) during peace talks with Former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (right) in Khartoum in 2007. A 2003 inquiry exposed torture cells at Nyayo House in Nairobi, a government building where dungeons yielded evidence supporting the accounts of victims. In 2007, he was named a special envoy to Sudan. He married Helena Bommet in 1950. NICK ROGERS / CAMERA PRESS. The death of Daniel Arap Moi, who ruled Kenya for 24 years, marked the exit of the country’s most prominent and longest-serving leader. His father, a herdsman, died when the boy was 4. His continuation of Kenyatta’s pro-Western policies ensured significant sums of development aid during the Cold War (1947–91), and under Moi’s stewardship Kenya emerged as one of the most prosperous African nations. He was 95. Daniel Arap Moi. Between them is an interpreter. He was succeeded by Daniel Arap Moi, who remained in office for twenty-four years. Corrections? Moi was born the village of Kuriengwo, located in the Sacho locality in Baringo district (now county). share article: 5 January 1996. Daniel is a Virgo. Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi shakes hands with Emperor Hirohito prior to the state dinner at the Imperial Palace on April 6, 1982 in Tokyo, Japan. The biggest fraud in Kenya’s history, the Goldenberg affair, in which the central bank paid incentives to a company for exporting gold, diamonds and jewelry that did not exist, cost taxpayers billions and sent Kenya’s economy into a tailspin in the early 1990s. Hundreds were imprisoned or executed. Daniel arap Moi, shown in a photo from 2002, ruled Kenya for nearly a quarter century, a period marked by repression, widespread corruption and economic stagnation. Daniel arap Moi, the President of Kenya, is one of Africa's longest-serving and most controversial leaders. Investigations after Mr. Moi stepped down found that his government had lined the pockets of his family and its allies with as much as $4 billion. The post-independence Constitution vested legislative authority in a National Assembly and provided for an independent judiciary. Others in his administration were pursued, but Mr. Moi was treated as an elder statesman. He was educated at mission and government schools. Daniel arap Moi has eight children, five sons and three daughters. “He is treated special. He was born Toroitich arap (son of) Moi on Sept. 2, 1924, in Kuriengwo, a Rift Valley village in Western Kenya. Position: President of Kenya. In the new government, Mr. Kenyatta appointed Mr. Moi minister of home affairs in 1964 and vice president in 1967. The couple separated in 1974. He was from a small and relatively marginal community: the Tugen, a sub-group of the Kalenjin. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. As the head of state and government, he exercised absolute power. Moi was 95. 2002 steps down as … Mr. Moi won five successive elections. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. But after suppressing opposition and consolidating power in a single-party state, he began a 24-year dictatorial reign. Mr. Moi is survived by their sons Gideon, Philip, Raymond and John Mark, and their daughters Jennifer, Doris and June. Jomo Kenyatta, the country’s first president, ruled the country until his death in 1978. He also curried favour with the army, which proved loyal to him in suppressing a coup attempt in 1982. Daniel arap Moi (born 1924) first became president of Kenya, by appointment, following the death of Kenya's first president, Jomo Kenyatta. But army loyalists crushed the uprising, and Mr. Moi ordered the arrest of the entire 2,100-member air force. Dates of Virgo are August 23 - September 22. FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 28, 2002 file photo, outgoing President Daniel arap Moi inspects a guard of honor at a barracks in Nairobi, Kenya during a … President Moi reviewing an honor guard in Nairobi at his swearing-in ceremony in January 1998. Daniel arap Moi, in full Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, (born September 2, 1924, Kuriengwo, Kenya Colony [now Kenya]—died February 4, 2020, Nairobi, Kenya), Kenyan politician, who held the office of president (1978–2002). Mr. Moi did not join the Kikuyu-led Mau Mau rebellion against British rule in the 1950s, but sympathized with the movement and once harbored five fugitives at his home. History: Born in 1924 at Sacho, Baringo District, Moi was a teacher between 1945 and 1957. Unlike the imperial Mr. Kenyatta, who governed behind closed doors, Mr. Moi traveled the country, courting its ethnic and tribal groups and gaining wide popularity. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Daniel-arap-Moi, Daniel arap Moi - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). He was elected assistant treasurer of the new Kenya African National Union (KANU), the political instrument of independence, which later merged with the rival Kenya African Democratic Union, which he had helped found. Daniel arap Moi, the autocratic president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002, who ruled his East African nation in a postcolonial era of political repression, economic stagnation and notorious corruption, but in the end gave up power peacefully, died on Tuesday in Nairobi. Constitutionally barred from running in the 2002 elections, he agreed to give up power in a smooth transfer that was then still rare in Africa. ; Net Worth: There are no factual publicly available figures that show how rich Daniel Moi is but he owns large tracks of land and companies which makes him among the wealthiest … Daniel Arap Moi’s zodiac sign is Virgo. Riots and demonstrations marred the 1997 elections, and hundreds of Kenyans, mainly Kikuyu, were killed. He was one of Africa’s most ruthless and uncouth autocrats. Moi was born in September 1924 in a rural Rift Valley settlement as a member of the country’s Kalenjin ethnic group. 1967 becomes vice-president. About Daniel Moi in Summary Below is a summary information about Daniel Moi: Full Names: Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi; Age: His date of birth is 2 September 1924 and Died on Tuesday 4th February 2020 (95 years). Mr. Moi — with his nimbus of silver hair, buttonhole rose and ivory baton — dominated life in Kenya. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Omissions? Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Daniel arap Moi at a rally in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2002. Mr. Moi, a former schoolteacher and national legislator, had been a handpicked vice president and served in Mr. Kenyatta’s long shadow. President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the death, at Nairobi Hospital, without giving a cause. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). For much of his tenure, it was illegal even to speak ill of him. Mr. Moi later supported his old opponent’s re-election. Opposition led by intellectuals arose. He entered politics in 1955, appointed by the British to the colonial Legislative Council. He put his face on bank notes, ordered his portrait hung in offices and shops, enriched his family and tribal cronies and, as investigations showed, stashed billions in overseas banks. Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, Kenya’s president from 1978 to 2002, died on 4 February at the age of 95. For most of his years as president, Moi and the ruling party have had absolute authority over the country's political and judicial systems. Having been Kenya’s second and longest-serving president, Daniel Moi was accorded a state funeral that was attended by high profile individuals including other African presidents and leaders. media caption Daniel arap Moi, Kenya's second post-independence president, has died at the age of 95. The death of Daniel Toroitich arap Moi on 4 February triggered a predictable avalanche of contradictory responses. He graduated from Kapsabet Teacher Training College; from 1945 to 1947, he taught classes; and he was later the headmaster of a government school. Daniel arap Moi (Daniel Toroitich arap Moi), born on 2 September 1924 into a farming family. Moi Day was, however, removed from the list of national holidays following the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution. The following year he won the country’s first multiparty elections amid charges of electoral fraud. His wife, known as Lena, died in 2004, and their son Jonathan died last year. He declared a period of national mourning and said Mr. Moi would receive a state funeral. But the opposition was divided and disorganized, the balloting was marred by widespread violence, and Mr. Moi was re-elected both times. His only brother, William Tuitoek, died in 1995. The 1982 Kenyan coup d’état attempt was a failed attempt to overthrow President Daniel Arap Moi’s government. Daniel arap Moi. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. He introduced free milk for children, and pledged to do away with endemic graft and elevate Kenya’s struggling tourism-and-agriculture economy. It became Kenya’s sole political party. But his genes, both biological and political, run strong in the country and continue to shape the current political climate. The national media has led the canonisation campaign while a range of other Kenyans sniped at the “Professor’s” poor human rights record and state corruption. 1982 coup attempt foiled. Moi was 95. Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was born in Sacho, Baringo County and was raised by his paternal uncle Kimoi Chebii after the death of his father Kimoi arap Chebii in 1928 when he was only four years old. Moi has died at 95.