Retired President Daniel Arap Moi was pronounced dead at 5.20 am, Tuesday at the Nairobi Hospital where he had been receiving treatment.
Moi, best known as Nyayo, was named after his father Kimoi arap Chebii a Sot clan herdsman.
He would in 1950 marry Helena (Lena) Bommet. They were blessed with eight children; three daughters and five sons, (Jennifer, Doris and adopted daughter June; Jonathan, Raymond, John Mark, Philip and Gideon).
While little is known about the Moi Family, Baringo Senator Gideon Moi often comes to mind when the former first family is mentioned.
He does, however, have a brother, Philip Kipchirchir Moi – a retired army officer. The businessman shot to the limelight after being engrossed in a messy divorce case with estranged wife, Rossana Pluda.
In the case, Ms Pluda demanded for Sh7 million lumpsum and Sh250,000 per month for her upkeep, demands that the Moi offspring said he could not meet because he was a modest businessman.
Doris Elizabeth Chepkorir Choge, has largely led a private life but is well known for defying her parents’ wishes and wedding her late brother Jonathan Moi’s rally buddy, Ibrahim Kiptum Choge.
Choge died in a road accident in 1998. His father, former assistant minister Simeon Kiptum Choge, insisted his son’s death was a well-orchestrated plot.
She attended Nairobi Primary School and later joined Limuru Girls High School.
She is Philip’s twin sister.
Raymond Kipruto Moi is a politician, born in 1960.
He served as Vice Chairman of the Kenya Co-operative Creameries and is the current MP for Rongai Constituency in Nakuru.
John Mark Moi, might be the least known of Moi’s sons. He was born in 1958 and is said to have had a promising future after securing admission to the prestigious Harvard University.
He is also a government geologist at Kenya ministry of environment and mineral resources.
Jennifer Jemutai Kositany, born in 1953 is the former head of state’s firstborn. She is a businesswoman and is married to a British national.
She and her spouse owned businesses key among tea farms that had seen her be in the limelight fighting court battles over the “management” of a tea farm.
She attended Kenya High School before going to the United States for further studies.
Jonathan Kipkemboi Moi, is Moi’s firstborn son, although deceased. He was best known as one of Kenya’s leading rally drivers until his retirement a few years ago.
Jonathan was in 1988 accused of killing and assaulting a British tourist, Julie Ward. She was in the country for a seven-month wildlife photography excursion, before vanishing in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Game Reserve.
The late Moi denied knowing the woman. He said, “I am totally shocked to hear this. I had no relationship with the said lady (Julie) and I even didn’t know her. I never did such a thing and it has never crossed my mind to do it.”
Government pathologists said that Ward had died from animal bites and that her body burns might have been as a result of lightning. The case is still unsolved, more than 30 years later.
He died in 2019 after losing battle to pancreatic cancer.
Gideon Kipsielei Moi, the youngest of the Moi sons, is the most popular of the eight children. Born in 1964, Gideon is known for his vast business interests.
He is a sporty man, with interests in Polo and motorbike racing. He is also the Baringo senator and is likely to vie for the presidency in 2022.
The last born is June Moi. She was apparently retired president’s favourite. She attended Nairobi Primary, Kenya High School and then moved on to university in Canada.
June has interests in land and property agency and development.
Moi passed on at the age of between 102 and 103 years.
The flag will fly half-mast until he is buried, on a date yet to be disclosed.
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