President Daniel arap Moi was among few world leaders who ran his country on what is popularly referred to as a philosophy of peace, love and unity. Such leadership aimed to bridge tribal differences and is an African phenomenon that has deep roots in culture and tradition. Upon his accession to presidency of Kenya he began using the Swahili expression ''nyayo,'' or ''in footsteps,'' that later came to mean ''peace, love, and unity'' in continuation of Kenyatta’s slogan of “harambee”. The message was communicated at rallies around the country. He urged all the people of Kenya to set aside their longstanding rivalries and live as one.  Kenya’s second and longest serving President will be remembered for how he promoted national unity and ensuring the country avoided the pitfalls of internal conflicts in the midst of a region that was affected by turmoil.

He also made effort to spread his philosophy of love on the African continent. During his term as chairman of the Organization of African Unity, he preached peace, love, and unity to warring and divided nations like Chad, Libya, Ethiopia, and Uganda. His effort gained respect in Africa and he made it clear that Kenya does not get involved in such squabbles.

During his 24 years in office, Kenya’s second President oversaw many milestones that laid the foundation for the country’s continued growth. Some of the notable achievements include:

Expansion of Health Services

One of President Moi’s pet projects in the 1980s was the expansion of health services, with the massive construction of Nyayo Wards in most district hospitals. While health financing and expenditure became one of the challenges, Moi managed to call for Harambees to aid in the construction of these facilities to supplement Government contribution.

The building of Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret also helped to ease pressure on Kenyatta National Hospital which was the sole referral hospital in Kenya. It served referrals from hospitals in the western Kenya region from Kapenguria, Kitale, Nandi Hills, Kapsowat, Kapsabet, Tambach, and Memorial Hospital, and as the provincial facility for the neighbouring districts of Kakamega, Trans—Nzoia, Elgeyo-Marakwet and Nandi district.

In many hospitals some new laboratories and radiology units were constructed among other amenities. In later years, these initiatives faced major challenges as the economy experienced challenges and the health care sector got underfunded. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund also forced President Moi to abandon subsidizing Kenya’s  health sector and introduce the practice of cost-sharing in public hospitals.

Free School Milk Programme and Increased School Enrolment

This was one of the major educational policies enacted by President Moi’s government in 1979 besides the introduction pf the 8-4-4 system. Kenya was the first African country to launch such a project and nearly four million pupils in primary schools benefited annually from the programme which ran until 1998.

The school project led to an increase in school attendance, especially in remote areas, although it consumed some 20 per cent of the education budget. Also, it led to an increase in milk output as it increased the demand for milk countrywide.

During the 1979/ 80 financial year, the Government had set aside Kshs169 million for the project and the Kenya Co-operative Creameries– and members – saw a new boom. During the 1987/ 88 financial year, the Government set aside Kshs600 million for the project, but this gradually dropped so drastically that at the dawn of multiparty politics that the project only received Kshs20 million during the 1998/99 financial year.

Expansion of University Education

When President Moi came into office in 1978, there was only one fully fledged public university in Kenya – the University of Nairobi with Kenyatta University College (now Kenyatta University as a constituent college. Upon coming into office, President Moi embarked on extensive expansion of Kenya’s university education sector.

On October l, 1984, Kenya opened its second university in Eldoret, named Moi University and admitted its first class of students for a forestry course transferred from the University of Nairobi. The University established new constituent colleges that included Egerton Agricultural College (now Egerton University).

In August 1985, Kenyatta University College was elevated into a university after parliament passed the Kenyatta University Act thus becoming Kenya’s third fully-fledged public University. A mid-level Jomo Kenyatta College of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), which had been established in early 1978, also became a constituent College of Kenyatta University in September 1988 before becoming a full-fledged university on December 7, 1994.

Other universities established by President Moi’s Administration included Maseno University (formerly Siriba Teachers College), and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology which was previously known as Western College of Arts and Applied Sciences.  As the university education sector boomed, President Moi also paved the way for the establishment of private universities such as Daystar University, Methodist University and Moi’s own Kabarak University were established, joining USIU which was established in 1970s. Today, Kenya has more than 60 universities and various public university colleges.

Moi’s Contribution to Growth of The Tourism Industry

Kenya’s tourism industry had exhibited steady growth in most years since independence and by the late 1980s it had become the country’s principal source of foreign exchange. A large number of tourists came from Germany and Britain and were attracted mainly to the coastal beaches and the game reserves and national parks. But tourism also faced negative coverage due to security problems in the 1990s. President Moi implemented several measures that are credited for making Kenya’s tourism sector a thriving industry that today accounts for 21 per cent of total foreign exchange earnings and 12 per cent of GDP. One of the President Moi’s contributions in the tourism sector was the establishment of the Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) in 1997 to promote and market Kenya as a tourist destination locally and internationally.

Other steps undertaken by Moi included the establishing of the Kenya Tourist Police Unit and launching marketing campaigns in key tourist origin markets.
Other measures included the stemming of poaching in the parks and the establishment of Kenya Wildlife Service in 1990 to conserve and manage Kenya’s wildlife. The agency today manages about eight per cent of the total landmass of the country, which contains 22 national parks, 28 national reserves and five national sanctuaries. KWS also manages four marine national parks and six marine national reserves at the Coast.

Moi and the Aviation Industry

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
The opening of the new Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), on December 8, 1978 was one of the early milestones of President Moi’s presidency. The new £30 million (Kshs3.6 billion) circular complex was going to attract international airlines. Initially known as Nairobi Airport, it had been on the drawing board since 1972 and was to cater for an increasing number of visitors who were stretching the facilities at Embakasi and Wilson airports. Described as the greatest asset for Kenya’s tourism industry, the airport opened with a parking capacity for 10 Boeing 747s or 13 Boeing 707s and was to cater for 30 airlines. A unit set aside for domestic services was also constructed to ease the pressure at Wilson Airport. In his speech, Moi stressed the importance of the aviation industry to Kenya in promoting the development of tourism, agriculture, commerce and industry.

Moi International Airport
The building of Moi International Airport in Eldoret from 1995 to 1997 was a major milestone in the opening up of the Rift Valley and Western Kenya region. Built to help tap and unlock the region’s agricultural and economic potential, the airport was equipped with modern aviation facilities including computerised air traffic control and radar systems. The airport can handle in excess of 1.2 million tonnes of cargo annually.

Moi and Regional Trade and Integration

Moi took over power a year after the collapse of the original East African Community. Tanzania had also closed its border with Kenya.

Eager to develop the regional market, Moi reached out to President Julius Nyerere and Uganda’s new President Godfrey Binaisa in January 1980. It was the first time in 10 years that the presidents of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania met.

Relations between the three states had been strained leading to border closures and restrictions on airspace. Uganda and Tanzania had also gone to War with Nyerere overthrowing Uganda’s President Idi Amin.

More talks followed later on and Moi was instrumental in the subsequent signing of the Agreement for the Establishment of the Permanent Tripartite Commission for East African Cooperation on November 30, 1993. Full East African Cooperation efforts began on March 14, 1996 when the Secretariat of the Permanent Tripartite Commission was launched at the Headquarters of the EAC in Arusha, Tanzania.

At a later Summit in Arusha on 29 April 1997, the process of upgrading the Agreement establishing the Permanent Tripartite Commission for East African Cooperation into a Treaty started. The East African passport was officially launched on April 1, 1999 and in July 1999 the new East African Community was born. President Moi suggested that the countries of the region might even form a political federation and suggested in this regard the creation of a regional assembly with limited powers.

President Moi was also a champion of increased intra-Africa trade, calling for infrastructure links to support continental commerce.
He was also instrumental in the creation of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the formation of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

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President Moi’s government is credited for many other initiatives including the expansion of electricity production, notable projects in this sector included the Turkwel Gorge Dam which was constructed at a cost of Ksh8 billion.
The second President is also credited for the formation of the Kenya Revenue Authority in 1995, marking a significant development in the collection of taxes and duties.