Reliving Uhuru’s childhood

Updated Sunday, April 21st 2013 

By Amos Kareithi

NAIROBI, KENYA: Tamnywet, 68, who was a GSU officer attached to the Kenyatta home in Gatundu in 1971, tells of being pestered with questions by a young Uhuru.

As a GSU corporal, he was in charge of the General Service Unit officers guarding the president’s home.

“One day he dashed out of the main house and directly came to where I was. He appeared attracted to my swagger stick,” he says mimicking the young Uhuru: “Hii fimbo ni ya kuchapa nani ( who is this stick meant to cane?” Swagger stick

To any young boy, a cane’s principal responsibility is to administer discipline.

Even after Tamnywet, laughing, told him it was not meant to beat anybody, Uhuru appeared unconvinced.

His disbelief was not misplaced as his father, good old Jomo, had a penchant for caning those who displeased him, including grown up men.

Tamnywet, recalls another incident when Jomo ordered him to assist an agitated Uhuru after his bicycle broke down.

“Apparently, Uhuru had been pestering his father to repair his bicycle which had been rendered useless after its chain got loose,” Tamnywet explains.

The retired GSU officer adds that although Kenyatta was acquainted with a bicycle, having used them extensively in the 1920s as a meter reader for Nairobi council, he could not help his own son.

At the time, Jomo was advanced in age and had climbed up the social ladder and could not be expected to tinkle with a boy’s bicycle.

Nevertheless the GSU man repaired the bicycle to the delight of the now smiling Uhuru who jumped on its seat and peddled off furiously as soon as it had been repaired.Uhuru owes his name to his predecessor; retired President Mwai Kibaki who first suggested it during a visit to Gatundu a few days after the baby was born. By coincidence, Joseph Murumbi who like Kibaki also served as a vice president also backed the idea as independence was just a few months away.

Kibaki later served as Uhuru’s godfather during his baptism.

Uhuru joined St Mary’s school in Class Three when he was seven years old, after having attended the foundation classes at Loreto Convent, Valley Road.

While at school, Uhuru and his siblings, Muhoho and Nyokabi, were not accorded any special security.

Charles Ouko, a schoolmate at St Mary’s narrated to out sister publication, The Standard, that Uhuru spotted his future bride, Margaret, while at St Mary’s for she was a student a the neighbouring school Loreto Convent Msongari.

The adult

When Tamnywet got an opportunity to meet Uhuru for the first time as an adult in 2002, he could barely contain himself during the encounter.

At the time Uhuru who was accompanied by retired president Daniel Arap Moi was in Kericho at the height of his first presidential campaign. Uhuru was seeking the people’s mandate to govern Kenya on a Kanu ticket.

During the visit, Tamnywet, who was acquainted with some of the officers ringing the president and Uhuru, breached the security cordon.

Meeting Uhuru

When he was within Uhuru’s hearing, he extended his hand and asked, “Habari Yako Kijana (How are you young  man).”

Uhuru who was stunned demanded to know who this man was. He reminded him that he was now of age and wanted to be Kenya’s president.“I introduced myself and showed him a picture of me at his father’s compound in my GSU uniform. He laughed out loudly and clapped me on the shoulder.

From then on he treated me like an old friend.” This encounter rekindled the retired GSU man’s memory when Kenyatta had noted his son’s closeness top the officers guarding their compound.

As he inspected his expansive farm in Gatundu, Kenyatta had told Tamnywet who was close by, “You know we are getting old. You are the people who can protect my son and the future generations.”

The whistle

Tamnywet recalls that the uniformed forces held some fascinations for the old man. One day while he and a contingent of 18 other GSU officers were guarding State House, Mombasa, an apparently bored Kenyatta ordered him to blow his whistle.

Tamnywet says he was at first apprehensive but recalled that this was the Commander in Chief of the armed forces in the country issuing an order.

After blowing his whistle, the security officers all rushed to where Tamnywet and Kenyatta were standing.

“With a mischievous glint in his eye, he told me to conduct a drill for all the officers of the Presidential escort present.”

He then led them to a flower garden where they proceeded to weed for some time before he dismissed them.

“Jomo later explained to me that the security officers had appeared overwhelmed by the heat as they were still wearing their dark suits and that is why he wanted to shake them up a bit.”

A lot of water has since passed under the bridge and the boy has become a man and is now occupying his father’s position as president.

But while Uhuru’s father was irresistible to the media just as a lamp to moths, his wife’s side of the family is publicity shy.