The three-minute cabinet meeting, March 12, 1975:
The month had begun on a sad note for Kenya. On the first day of the month, a 25-kilogramme bomb tore apart a Mombasa-bound East African Road Services bus at the OTC bus stage on Racecourse Road. Seventeen people were killed on the spot and ten others seriously injured. Earlier, two other bombs had exploded at a city discotheque and outside the Hilton. A shadowy organisation calling itself Maskini Liberation Movement had claimed responsibility. However, doubts were raised about existence of the organisation and fingers pointed at agents of the government. Then on March 6, populist Nyandarwa South MP J.M. Kariuki was reported missing. On the same day Vice-President Moi told Parliament that JM was alive and well wherever he was. The following day, the Nation newspaper reported that it had “located” JM in Zambian capital, Lusaka. But hell broke loose on March 11 when JM’s widow and other relatives identified his decomposed body at City Mortuary. That day Parliament was a ball of fire as MPs demanded immediate resignation of the Kenyatta government.
Nyeri Town MP set the mood of the House with the words: “We have no government in Kenya. We are ruled by devils. Ours is a government of gangsters.”
Kamukunji MP Maina Wanjigi took up the chorus of vitriol and asked: “What kind of government is this? We are tired of this nonsense of harambee.”
When Moi rose to apologise for misleading the House on JM’s whereabouts, his voice was drowned with shouts of “Shame, shame,” and “go home”.
Sensing danger, Cabinet ministers quietly sneaked out of the chambers, removed flags from their cars and sped away.
At Harambee House, the head of the Civil Service telephoned Kenyatta at his Gatundu home. “Mzee you have no government. Members of the Cabinet have removed flags from their cars and disappeared from Parliament”.
Kareithi recalls Kenyatta saying: “Is that so? Then you call a Cabinet meeting at State House tomorrow at 10 sharp”. When Kareithi argued that the city might be too chaotic and suggested that the meeting be held at Gatundu, Kenyatta roared: “I said State House, Nairobi, and hang up”.
At ten on the dot, Kenyatta’s motorcade braked at State House and the President headed to the Cabinet room. Kareithi remembers: " The President was visibly angry. I don’t even recall him saying as much as good morning. He had gone straight to the point. “Naambiwa mmewacha kazi ya serikali na hata mkatoa bendera za magari zenyu! Nataka kujua, nani hayuko kwa serikali, asimame juu!?” (I am told that you people have quit the Government and removed flags from your vehicles now I want to know who is with the me and who is not!). Turning to Vice-President Moi, Kenyatta put the question: “Wewe uko kwa serikali?” (Are you with the Government or not?). Moi said he was and tried to explain something. Kenyatta cut him short and moved to the next person: “Are you with the government or not?” In less than three minutes Kenyatta put the question to each of the ministers. After all had replied in the affirmative, he rose to go as he said: “I just wanted to know whether I have a government. The meeting is over.”
Half an hour later, Kenya Air Force jets flew low over the capital, sending everyone scampering for safety. Shortly after Army recruits from the Lanet Training School marched through the city in combat gear. President Kenyatta stood at the balcony of Kenya Cinema on Moi Avenue to take their salute as scared civilians left town in a hurry. It was the old manÂ’s way of saying he was in charge in as few words.
The question on your title is so naive. Wipe the shit on your balls first since you seem to be a toddler before I welcome you to the 21st century Kenya.
Dont kid yourselves. A dictatorship is working rather well in Uganda. It worked extra ordinarily in Libya. In countries like Saudi where there are kings and royals, Dubai e.t.c the kingship form of rule is not very far from dictatorship. Dictatorship coupled with a sane, strict and unrelenting leader is IMHO, a better form of governance than a democracy where you have unending consultations. Kwanza mimi mkinipa presidency, mnaweza tambua. Naweza kuwa nawakojolea mnashangaa. Hii ujinga ya democracy hata sijui ilitoka wapi…
That wasn’t a result of dictatorship. Vita ikipiganwo, for political gain and control, the masses who fight are at the greatest loss . Any sane grown up wont put their life at risk for attainment of political milage and benefit of a single individual. If two leaders want to fight, wapigane dondi wenyewe. Otherwise mimi siwezi pigania mtu unless its family. Chieth.
Ningekuwa na akili ndogo kama yako, badala ya kuijaza na matusi hazisaidii, ningejaribu kufikiria ways of using my hands to make money, other than different ways to choke the bishop to attain climax. Shenzi type.
You are mixing your samples too much. Uganda and KSA on the same level is a fallacy of sorts. Forgive me for picking new words as I go. The point is, a benevolent dictatorship is not a dysfunction government and they have proved a point. Kenyatta the first was a warm pile of shit sitting on top of other African dictators on ranks.