Moi endorses Uhuru for top job

Retired President Daniel arap Moi caused a stir at the funeral of businessman and politician Njenga Karume on Saturday with another endorsement of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta for the country’s top leadership.Mr Moi’s political statement and euphemism changed the tone of the proceedings and marked the highlight of the funeral at Cianda near Kiambu attended by the who is who of Kenyan politics, business, the civil service and the entire top commanders of the Kenya Defence Forces.President Moi’s endorsement echoed his unsuccessful bid to have Mr Kenyatta replace him at State House when his term ended in 2002.Yesterday, he suggested that with the deaths of John Michuki and Mr Karume, and the impending retirement of President Kibaki, there was a gap to be filled in the political leadership, and Mr Kenyatta is the man to take over.“It is now upon the councilors and MPs to support the President (Kibaki) because Central Province has suffered a great loss with the death of these two men. They should get someone to fill that position and the person who can lead here is Uhuru Kenyatta,” said President Moi to cheers from the crowd.He did not say much more, and none of the other leaders who spoke spent time discussing politics.In his autobiography, Mr Karume says he entered politics reluctantly and it was perhaps fitting that there was only a little of it at his funeral.In his speech, delivered entirely off the cuff, President Kibaki said his interest was not in politics, as it was not the topic of the day, and Kenyans know very well how such matters play out.He said the current MPs would continue to work for the good of Kenya. Each speaker recalled their relationship with Mr Karume, who died on February 24 at Karen Hospital after a short but painful battle with prostate cancer..Click here