On 2018-11-20, Rift Valley cleric Rev Joel Chebii urged politicians to stop using retired President Daniel Moi and his family as ammunition in the region’s widening maize scandal fight.
Speaking to journalists in Eldoret on Tuesday, Chebii said it was wrong for leaders to invoke Moi’s name for political gain. He argued that the former president had already done his part for the country and should be left in peace.
“Wenye wako uongozini na wanatafuta tafadhali muwache jina ya former president Moi. Wacha mzee apumzike maana alifanya kazi yake ambaye sisi tunashukuru,” he said.
He added that Moi was not seeking any political office and should not be pulled into current succession battles or the maize row. Chebii also said the retired president’s record included church and school projects, which he said deserved respect rather than political exploitation.
The remarks came as tensions deepened in the Rift Valley after calls for Deputy President William Ruto to be investigated over the maize scandal. MPs Alfred Keter of Nandi, Joshua Kutuny of Cherangany and Silas Tiren of Moiben had pushed for the probe, while pro-Ruto allies defended the Deputy President.
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi responded by accusing the three lawmakers of being financed by Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, the former president’s son. He also linked the Moi family to the broader succession politics around President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Chebii rejected that line of attack and said the real issue was that farmers had not been paid. He warned leaders against provoking Moi into speaking and asked them to respect his health instead of dragging him into the dispute.
“Mambo ya mahindi kuhusisha mzee si haki. The truth of the matter is farmers have not been paid,” he said.
He also said the country’s attention should be on the high cost of living and expensive electricity, not on political feuds. According to him, Kenyans were already under pressure and needed leaders focused on practical relief rather than blame games.
Chebii’s comments reflected the growing strain inside the Rift Valley over the maize crisis and the political fallout around it, with Moi’s name becoming part of the contest despite his retirement from public office.
