By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
Since independence, Kenya has had 10 vice presidents and two Deputy Presidents.
Over the past 40 years, vice presidents and even the Deputy Presidents have had challenges during their tenure – the latest being that facing Rigathi Gachagua.
But the tribulations facing individuals hoodijf5 the second in command post did not start this year – or under the Kenya Kwanza regime for that matter.
It is an issue that has been there since the first government was formed by the founding father – the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
Kenyatta’s first vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and several others had tribulations during their tenure – and the same happened with those that deputized the subsequent President’s the late Daniel Moi, Mwai Kibaki and even Uhuru Kenyatta.
We take a look at some of the issue that former vice presidents faced – some of which forced them out of office.
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
He served as the late Jomo Kenyatta’s vice from 1964 to 1966 when he resigned following a series of humiliation that he faced from individuals that were close to the Head of State.
In his letter of resignation, he listed several instances he felt humiliated – from having a minister represent the president in an event he is in attendentance to shuffling of his functions.
“You have not given me any consideration as your number two in state matters. I have a conscience and this in fact does prik me when I earn public money, but with no job,” Oginga Odinga said in part of the letter
Daniel Arap Moi
He is arguably a VP that faced the highest level of humiliation – most of which are well documented.
Moi was humiliated by individuals that would be considered junior to him like then Pronvincial police Commisioners (who were at the time very powerful) – one of who is said to have slapped him in front of the president.
But Moi never quit, he took his chances and it paid off – taking over when the founding father died while in office.
Prof George Saitoti
The late Saitoti served as Moi’s vice for about 11 years – first for 8 years from 1989 to 1998 and second from 1999 to 2002.
Saitoti’s issue with Moi was related to succession politics. He thought he would take over – not until the long-serving president hinted that he was not good enough.
Moi publicly said Prof Saitoti was his friend but admitted it was a different thing when it came to leadership.
He would later settle for now-former President Uhuru Kenyatta as his preferred successor – after which the VP made the popular speech with the infamous words “There comes a time when the nation is much more important than an individual”.
William Ruto
Ruto did not serve as a vice President – but rather a Deputy President courtesy of the 2010 Constitution.
His troubles with his boss, then, are well documented.
However, he somehow managed to remain in his position while charting his political path and would later succeed in beating Raila Odinga – a candidate Uhuru supported.
Vice Presidents who never had an issue with the president
While a majority of the individuals that were second in command had issues with their boss – we have a few that enjoyed a good relationship from the start to the end.
From a list of 11 Vice Presidents and Deputy President’s – only four did not ‘fight’ with the Head of State.
Concidentally, a majority of them are from Western region.
First on the list is Joseph Murumbi. He was appointed to replace Jaramogi Oginga Odinga who resigned because of frustrations.
Murumbi served from May to November 1966 when he resigned due to illness.
Musalia Mudavadi
Mudavadi served as Kenya’s seventh and last deputy president under the leadership of the late President Daniel Arap Moi.
He was appointed in November 2002 and served until January 2003, when the NARC party took power.
Mudavadi replaced the late George Saitoti and was in office for only 60 days.
He had no fallout with his boss.
Michael Kijana Wamalwa
The late Michael Kijana Wamalwa was Kenya’s eighth and first vice president under President Kibaki’s administration.
He served from January 2003 to August 2003, when he succumbed to illness while receiving treatment at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
Moody Awori
Awori was Kenya’s ninth vice president. He was appointed after Wamalwa’s death where he served for four years – from September 2003 to January 2008.
Unlike the other three predecessors, he served the most extended period without a fallout with his boss.