George Saitoti
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George Musengi Saitoti, E.G.H. (3 August 1945 – 10 June 2012) was a Kenyan politician, businessman and American- and British-trained economist, mathematician and development policy thinker. As a mathematician, Saitoti served as Head of the Mathematics Department at the
University of Nairobi , mottoeng = In unity and work , image = Uon emblem.gif , image_size = 210px , caption = Coat of Arms of the University , type = Public , endowment ...
, pioneered the founding of the
African Mathematical Union The African Mathematical Union or Union Mathematique Africaine is an African organization dedicated to the development of mathematics in Africa. It was founded in 1976 in Rabat, Morocco, during the first Pan-African Congress of Mathematicians wi ...
and served as its vice-president from 1976 to 1979. As an economist, Saitoti served as the Executive Chairman of the
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1990–91, and as President of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States in 1999–2000, at the crucial phase of re-negotiating the new development partnership agreement to replace the expired
Lomé Convention The Lomé Convention is a trade and aid agreement between the European Economic Community (EEC) and 71 African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries, first signed in February 1975 in Lomé, Togo. History The first Lomé Convention (Lomé I) ...
between the ACP bloc and the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
(EU). His book ''The Challenges of Economic and Institutional Reforms in Africa'' influenced practical policy directions on an array of areas during the turbulent 1980s and 1990s. Saitoti joined politics as a nominated Member of Parliament and Minister for Finance in 1983, rising to become Kenya's longest-serving Vice-President, a proficient Minister for education, Internal Security and Provincial Administration and Foreign Affairs. Few recognise him as a "reformist", but his recommendations as the Chair of the KANU Review Committee, popularly known as the "Saitoti Committee" in 1990–91, opened KANU to internal changes and set the stage for the repeal of Section 2A and Kenya's return to pluralist democracy. Saitoti left KANU and joined the opposition, becoming a kingpin figure in the negotiations that led to the " NARC Revolution" in 2002. As Minister for Internal Security and Provincial Administration, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs and key member of the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC), he later worked closely with the national Ministry of Defence to see through the
Operation Linda Nchi Operation Linda Nchi ( sw, Linda Nchi; "Protect the Country") had the Kenya Defence Forces enter southern Somalia beginning in 2011. The Kenyan government declared the operation completed in March 2012, but its forces then joined AMISOM in Som ...
against the Al-Shabaab insurgent group. In addition, rival factions had for decades invoked the infamous
Goldenberg Goldenberg is a surname of Jewish-Austrian or Jewish Romanian origin. Notable people with the surname include: * Billy Goldenberg (born 1936), American composer * Carl Goldenberg (1907–1996), Canadian lawyer & politician * Charles Goldenberg (19 ...
fraud to knock Saitoti out of politics, but the legal courts cleared him of the scandal in July 2006. Saitoti's dual heritage as a Maasai with Kikuyu family members predisposed him to a pan-Kenyan vision, but also denied him a strong ethnic base unlike his competitors. As one of Kenya's most experienced, unassuming and shrewd politicians, Saitoti was billed as a front-runner in the race to succeed President
Mwai Kibaki Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki (15 November 1931 – 21 April 2022) was a Kenyan politician who served as the third President of Kenya from December 2002 until April 2013 and is regarded as one of Kenya's founding fathers. He had previously ser ...
.


Early life and education

George Saitoti was born on 3 August 1945 and brought up in Maasailand, where he spent his childhood herding cattle in line with the Masai culture, and attending school. He attended Ololua Primary School,
Kajiado Kajiado is a town in Kajiado County, Kenya. The town is located south of Nairobi, along the Nairobi – Arusha highway ( A104 road). Kajiado has an urban population of 24,678 (2019 census). Local people are predominantly of the Maasai tribe. ...
where he acquired his basic education in the 1950s. Between 1960 and 1963, he secured a place at
Mang'u High School Mang'u High School is a Kenyan Roman Catholic National High School established in 1925, located in Kiambu County along the Nairobi-Thika Highway from Thika, Kenya. Mang'u High School is ranked among the top schools nationwide in Kenya Certifi ...
in
Thika Thika Thika (pronounced θika is an industrial town and a major commerce hub in Kiambu County, Kenya, lying on the A2 road 42 kilometres (26 mi) Northeast of Nairobi, near the confluence of the Thika and Chania Rivers. Although Thika town ...
where he attained his high school education. He joined the ranks of Mang'u High School's highly decorated alumni including Kenya's third President, Mwai Kibaki, former Vice-President
Moody Awori Arthur Moody Awori (born 5 December 1928), known as "Uncle Moody", is a former Kenyan politician who served as the ninth Vice President of Kenya from 25 September 2003John Michuki John Njoroge Michuki (1 December 1932 – 21 February 2012) was a Kenyan politician and businessman. He was born at Muguru, village, Iyego Location, Kangema Division in Murang’a District. He was educated in Kenya and abroad. Michuki emerged a ...
, the late Trade Unionist and former Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs,
Tom Mboya Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya (15August 19305July 1969) was a Kenyan trade unionist, educator, Pan-Africanist, author, independence activist, and statesman. He was one of the founding fathers of the Republic of Kenya.Kenya Human Rights Commissio ...
, and late Cardinal
Maurice Michael Otunga Maurice Michael Otunga (January 1923 – 6 September 2003) was a Kenyan Catholic prelate and cardinal who served as the Archbishop of Nairobi from 1971 until his resignation in 1997. Pope Paul VI elevated him into the cardinalate in 197 ...
. Saitoti was one of the recipients of
the Kennedy Airlift The Kennedy Airlift was started in 1959 by a 28-year-old Kenyan, Tom Mboya, who sought support for promising Kenyan students to get college and university educations in the United States and Canada. It brought hundreds of students from East Africa ...
scholarships in 1963 at the age of 18.Airlift to America. How Barack Obama Sr., John F. Kennedy, Tom Mboya, and 800 East African Students Changed Their World and Ours. By Tom Shachtman. St. Martin's Press. 2009 This was a scholarship program started by
Tom Mboya Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya (15August 19305July 1969) was a Kenyan trade unionist, educator, Pan-Africanist, author, independence activist, and statesman. He was one of the founding fathers of the Republic of Kenya.Kenya Human Rights Commissio ...
and William X. Scheinmann and supported by the
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...
foundation and the African American Students Association to address the educational needs of newly independent Kenya. Through this program, hundreds of East Africans studied in the
United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. Saitoti studied at
Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , pro ...
between 1963 and 1967 where he was a mathematician. During his time there, he was on the
Wien Scholarship , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , pro ...
, specialising in Mathematics and Economics. His colleagues at the time remember that he enjoyed spending time in Cholmondeleys (the coffeehouse in the Castle) and excelled at high jump, ranking as one of the best in
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
. In 1988, Saitoti received the first Brandeis Alumni Achievement Award, the highest honour the university bestows upon its graduates. Saitoti later moved to the United Kingdom where he acquired a Master of Science (MSc) degree in mathematics from the
University of Sussex , mottoeng = Be Still and Know , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £14.4 million (2020) , budget = £319.6 million (2019–20) , chancellor = Sanjeev Bhaskar , vice_chancellor = Sasha Roseneil , ...
, Brighton. He enrolled for his doctoral studies at the
University of Warwick The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands (county), West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded i ...
where he acquired his PhD in mathematics in 1972; writing his dissertation under the supervision of Professor Luke Hodgkin in the area of algebraic topology under the topic: ''Mod-2 K-Theory of the Second Iterated Loop Space on a Sphere.''Africa Mathematics Union
Africa Doctorates in Mathematics (1995).


Academic career

Upon his graduation, Saitoti returned to
Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...
in 1972, commencing a career as a Mathematics lecturer at the
University of Nairobi , mottoeng = In unity and work , image = Uon emblem.gif , image_size = 210px , caption = Coat of Arms of the University , type = Public , endowment ...
. One of his contributions was the institutionalisation of Mathematics as a discipline in Africa. During the first Pan-African Conference of Mathematicians held in
Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ar, الرِّبَاط, er-Ribât; ber, ⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ, ṛṛbaṭ) is the capital city of Morocco and the country's seventh largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan populati ...
, Morocco, in 1976, Saitoti was involved in the creation of the African Mathematical Union (AMU). He was elected the AMU's vice-president, a post which he held on up to 1979. By 1983, Saitoti's academic career was on the rise as associate professor and Head of the Mathematics Department. Outside the academy, Saitoti received several public appointments. On 3 November 1972, the Minister of Labour appointed him as the chairman of the Agricultural Wages Council (AWC). On 4 September 1979, the Minister for Tourism and Wildlife, John Ogutu, also appointed him as a committee member of the Natural Sciences Advisory Research Committee (TNSARC) chaired by Professor S. O. Wandiga. In September 1983, he was appointed chairperson of the board of directors for the Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology. He also served in other public capacities as chairman of Mumias Sugar Company and the
Kenya Commercial Bank     KCB Bank Kenya Limited is a financial services provider headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. It is licensed as a commercial bank, by the Central Bank of Kenya, the national banking regulator. The bank has also been running Agency banking model ...
.


Development thinker

Top decision-makers in government had recognised Saitoti as a policy thinker and technocrat, of whom the KANU desperately needed to fix its institutions, politics and the economy. His seminal book, ''The Challenges of Economic and Institutional Reforms in Africa'' was widely praised by leading officials as providing practical policy proposals to deal with the various challenges facing Kenya and Africa.''The Challenges of Economic and Institutional Reforms in Africa''
/ref> The book drew from Saitoti's experience as a seasoned scholar, consultant and experienced policy-maker/thinker, presenting a rigorous and multidisciplinary analysis of strategies for poverty alleviation, sustainable development, poverty reduction, combating HIV/AIDS and peace diplomacy. Saitoti also emphasised the importance of institutional reforms and sound public policies to sustainable economic growth in Africa.


Political career

Long before joining mainstream politics, Saitoti had a stint in the legislative duties. From 1974 to 1977, he represented Kenya in the defunct (since-revived)
East African Community The East African Community (EAC) is an intergovernmental organisation composed of seven countries in the Great Lakes region of East Africa: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republics of Kenya, Burundi, ...
as a member of the
East African Legislative Assembly , native_name_lang = , transcription_name = , legislature = , coa_pic = , coa_res = , coa_alt = , foundation = 30 November 2001 , house_type = , body ...
.


Dual ancestry and politics of diversity

In October 1983, President Daniel arap Moi nominated Saitoti as a member of parliament and subsequently appointed him to the Cabinet as Minister for Finance. He held the position until 1989. During the 1988 general elections, Saitoti entered competitive politics and won the Kajiado North parliamentary seat that was previously held by Philip Odupoy. Prior to the tenure of Adupoy and Saitoti, the Kajiado North multi-ethnic constituency was held by the popular politician, John Keen, another half-Maasai who champion a nationalist vision and worked over the years to ensure the advancement of his mother's people. For more than 25 years, Professor George Saitoti has represented Kajiado North since 1988, recapturing the seat in consecutive elections in 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007. Building on John Keen's legacy of a cosmopolitan constituency, Saitoti transformed Kajiado North into Kenya's most ethnically integrated multi-ethnic legislative area that also provided a safe haven to Kenyans, forcibly displaced by the 1991–2008 cycles of ethnic violence in neighbouring areas.Wachira, Charles
"Kenya: Saitoti—the Dark Horse"
''The Star'' (Nairobi), 11 February 2012. AllAfrica.
The area is also ranked among the top ten wealthiest, economically dynamic and fastest growing regions in Kenya. According to figures released by the Government of Kenya in 2009, Kajiado North has had an average poverty index of 10.66 per cent for the last three years, making it one of the richest constituencies in Kenya (see table 1).


Kenya's sixth Vice-President

After the 1988 General Election,
President Moi Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ( ; 2 September 1924 – 4 February 2020) was a Kenyan politician who served as the second president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. He was the country's longest-serving president. Moi previously served as the third vice ...
appointed Saitoti as Kenya's sixth vice-president. Saitoti became Kenya's longest sitting vice-president serving for 13 years under President Daniel arap Moi between May 1989 and January 1998 and again between April 1999 and August 2002 (see table 2). At the same time, he served as Minister for Finance. In 1990–1991, Saitoti was the Executive Chairman of the
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
and the
International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster globa ...
(IMF). In 1999–2000, Saitoti also served as president of the
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) is a group of countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific that was created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. Formerly known as African, Caribbean and Pacific Group ...
, becoming instrumental in helping negotiate a new development partnership agreement to succeed the previous Lomè Convention that expired in February 2000 between the ACP and the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
. The hallmarks of Saitoti tenure as vice-president were efficiency, sobriety and loyalty as President Moi's most trusted lieutenant. Even when President Moi dithered in naming a new deputy after the 1997 elections, Saitoti was still his favoured choice 14 months down the line."Saitoti's Elusive Presidency"
''Nairobi Chronicle'' (2009).
The same traits of efficiency, patience and loyalty would make him one of President Mwai Kibaki's trusted Ministers.


Reforming KANU'S one-party system

When Saitoti was appointed vice-president on 1 May 1989, KANU was back-pedaling on re-democratizing the country. At the same time, the party was fragmented over the succession divide between a sit-tight "KANU-A" and a more pro-change "KANU-B" led by Saitoti. The new vice-president was, therefore, compelled to walk the tightrope between being the face of change in the ruling party and remaining loyal to his principal who, after re-election as president in 1988, had amended the constitution to increase his power to dismiss judges and widened police powers. On New Year's Day 1990, the vocal cleric Rev. Timothy Njoya called on all Africans to demand a multiparty system of government. Following the Saba Saba riots on 7 July 1990,
President Moi Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ( ; 2 September 1924 – 4 February 2020) was a Kenyan politician who served as the second president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. He was the country's longest-serving president. Moi previously served as the third vice ...
announced the formation of the KANU Review Committee under the chairmanship of Prof George Saitoti, popularly known as ''the Saitoti Committee''.


The Saitoti Review Committee

The Saitoti Review Committee was mandated to investigate the party's internal electoral and disciplinary conduct. The committee traversed the country collecting people's opinions on the party, astounding foe, friend and critics alike and offering a rare forum for direct criticism and outbursts. In January 1991, KANU's executive committee adopted the recommendation by George Saitoti, that critics of the party cease being expelled but suspended for one or two years. The recommendations of the report were open for debate during the National Delegates Conference at Karasani in
Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...
. President Moi backed the adoption and implementation of the report in ''toto'', against what many speakers at the conference had expected. This opened the reforms gates, eventually setting the stage for the repeal of Section 2A in 1991 that returned Kenya to back to a multiparty system of government. The Saitoti Review Committee thrust the party on the reform path, but also widened internal ideological schisms between "KANU-A" conservatives and "KANU-B" pro-reformers over the Moi succession question.


KANU'S war on Saitoti

Saitoti was in the eye of a nasty succession storm that rocked KANU before and after the 1997 elections. Maasai purists led by Minister William Ole Ntimama and senior Maasai elders 're-Kikuyunized' Saitoti's dual ancestry, amplifying his
Kikuyu Kikuyu or Gikuyu (Gĩkũyũ) mostly refers to an ethnic group in Kenya or its associated language. It may also refer to: * Kikuyu people, a majority ethnic group in Kenya *Kikuyu language, the language of Kikuyu people *Kikuyu, Kenya, a town in Cent ...
family linkages as a scheme to weaken his political base and to challenge his status as a Maasai elder. Despite his steadfast loyalty to KANU and President Moi, Saitoti was frequently ignored, humiliated and frustrated by the party and its top echelons. Around the same time Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Ouko was murdered in February 1990, Saitoti claims that attempts were made on his life. After the 1997 general elections, he was dropped as vice-president, although no replacement was appointed. Even as President Moi reappointed him in April 1999, on the roadside in Limuru, Kiambu he made a scathing remark to the effect that: "I've given back Prof Saitoti the seat of Vice-President, hopefully now your sufurias (pots) will be full of food." Months before the general elections of 2002, Saitoti's name was deleted from the list of KANU delegates and his ascendancy to the presidency blocked by 'unknown' party members. On 18 March 2002, when KANU held its national delegates conference at the Kasarani sports complex, the move to block Saitoti from the succession game was manifest. The meeting amended the party constitution to allow for the merger between KANU and Raila Odinga's National Development Party (NDP) to create the "New KANU". But it also introduced four new positions of party vice-chairmen primarily to water down Saitoti's position as vice-president and Moi's most likely successor as president.


The National Rainbow Coalition (NARC)

It was clear that Moi did not even want him as one of the four vice-chairmen posts reserved for
Uhuru Kenyatta Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta (born 26 October 1961) is a Kenyan politician who served as the fourth president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Kenyatta was chosen by Daniel Arap Moi as his preferred successor, but Kenyatta was defeated by opposition le ...
,
Kalonzo Musyoka Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka (born 24 December 195is a Kenyan politician who was the tenth Vice-President of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. Musyoka served in the government under the late President Daniel arap Moi and was List of Foreign Ministers of Ke ...
, Katana Ngala and
Musalia Mudavadi Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi (born 21 September 1960) is a Kenyan politician and land economist who is currently serving as the Prime Cabinet Secretary of Kenya. Until October 2022, he was also the party leader of the Amani National Congress (ANC ...
. Moi told Saitoti to his face that he was not "presidential material". As a "Maasai-Kikuyu," Saitoti lacked the ethnic numbers he needed in the political horse-trading in Moi's power game. Instead, Moi finger-pointed as his heir
Uhuru Kenyatta Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta (born 26 October 1961) is a Kenyan politician who served as the fourth president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Kenyatta was chosen by Daniel Arap Moi as his preferred successor, but Kenyatta was defeated by opposition le ...
, perceived to have a large ethnic base as a pure-bred Kikuyu with the "Kenyatta" mystique. Saitoti gracefully bowed out of the race, living to fight another day, but not without his famous line: ''There comes a time when the nation is much more important than an individual''. But the KANU-NDP marriage came to a tragic end when Moi named Uhuru rather than Raila Odinga as his successor. In August 2002, Odinga left KANU to defeat Moi's "use and dump game," and joined a group of KANU rebels" coalesced around the "Rainbow Alliance" lobby that later transformed itself into the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Saitoti also walking out of KANU and became a key LDP figure. In October 2002, LDP joined the National Alliance of Kenya (NAK) of Mwai Kibaki, Charity Ngilu and Wamalwa Kijana to form the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC). Saitoti became a member of the NARC Summit, the highest organ of the coalition.


The "NARC revolution"

When the NARC flag-bearer,
Mwai Kibaki Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki (15 November 1931 – 21 April 2022) was a Kenyan politician who served as the third President of Kenya from December 2002 until April 2013 and is regarded as one of Kenya's founding fathers. He had previously ser ...
, decisively defeated KANU and
Uhuru Kenyatta Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta (born 26 October 1961) is a Kenyan politician who served as the fourth president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Kenyatta was chosen by Daniel Arap Moi as his preferred successor, but Kenyatta was defeated by opposition le ...
, Saitoti was appointed to the Ministry of Education. He was the man in charge of implementing NARC's flagship and globally acclaimed free primary education in Kenya.


The Kibaki stalwart

After 2004, as the NARC consensus crumbled, Saitoti left the agitating LDP camp and threw his lot behind President Kibaki. He canvassed for the government-sponsored draft Constitution, which lost to a combined KANU-LDP campaign during the November 2005 referendum. During the 2007 elections, Saitoti defended his Kajiado North parliamentary seat on the Party of National Unity (PNU) ticket, Kibaki's re-election vehicle, launched three months to the election on 16 September 2007. The courts ordered a vote recount in Kajiado North, but Saitoti beat his closest competitor, Moses Ole Sakuda with close to 20,000 votes. Saitoti blamed his re-election glitch on intrigues of power by KANU forces within the PNU campaign which underwrote his rivals to knock him out of politics and potentially out of the 2012 Presidential elections. But he had remained reticent about it. Saitoti's traits of patience, efficiency and loyalty to Kibaki paid off. On 8 January 2008, he was appointed Minister of State for Internal Security and Provincial Administration in the Office of the President, a position previously occupied by a Kibaki confidant,
John Michuki John Njoroge Michuki (1 December 1932 – 21 February 2012) was a Kenyan politician and businessman. He was born at Muguru, village, Iyego Location, Kangema Division in Murang’a District. He was educated in Kenya and abroad. Michuki emerged a ...
. Saitoti retained the Internal Security docket even after President Kibaki and Prime Minister
Raila Odinga Raila Amolo Odinga (born 7 January 1945) is a Kenyan politician, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Langata and businessman who served as the Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. He is assumed to be the Leader of Opposition in Kenya sin ...
established the power-sharing government that ended the 2008 post-election crisis. Between October 2010 and August 2011, Saitoti was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs on an acting capacity after the incumbent,
Moses Wetangula Moses Francis Masika Wetang'ula (born 13 September 1956), is the current Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, as well as leader of the FORD-Kenya party. He served in the government of Kenya as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 20 ...
, stepped aside to allow investigations on alleged corruption.


Cabinet sub-committee on ICC

In July 2009, Saitoti was appointed to head a special cabinet sub-committee formed to oversee the affairs of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Kenya. Members of this bi-partisan committee include; George Saitoti,
Mutula Kilonzo Mutula Kilonzo (2 July 1948 – 27 April 2013) was a Kenyan politician and Senior Counsel, who served as Minister of Education after having previously served as the Minister for Nairobi Metropolitan and justice and constitutional affairs He bel ...
and
Moses Wetangula Moses Francis Masika Wetang'ula (born 13 September 1956), is the current Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, as well as leader of the FORD-Kenya party. He served in the government of Kenya as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 20 ...
(PNU) and
James Orengo James Aggrey Bob Orengo is a Kenyan lawyer, a well known human rights activist and politician who is the current governor for Siaya County. He is also one of the few Kenyan lawyers who have attained the professional grade of Senior counsel in t ...
, Otieno Kajwang and
Amason Kingi Amason Kingi Jeffah is the current Speaker of the Senate of Kenya. He is the immediate former governor of Kilifi County and belongs to the Pamoja African Alliance. Before his term as governor of Kilifi, Amason was elected to represent the Maga ...
(ODM). (Following a cabinet reshuffle in April 2012,
Eugene Wamalwa Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa is a Kenyan politician who is the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Defence. Until 29 September 2021, he was Cabinet Secretary of Devolution. He is also a former minister for Justice. He also served as Minister for ...
and Prof. Sam Ongeri have replaced Kilonzo and Wetangula). The role of the sub-Committee as a liaison and co-ordination body between the ICC and the Kenyan government took a center-stage from December 2010 when the ICC Chief Prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo, indicted six prominent Kenyans for alleged crimes against humanity relating to the 2008 post-election violence. As the Minister of Internal Security and the chairman of the and security matters, Saitoti is the guarantor of the government's commitment to the ICC process. Arising from this, several analysts have claimed the suspects' fate lie with the sub-committee. Saitoti came out strongly criticising the invocation of President Kibaki in the ICC debate, calling for sobriety from politicians. Saitoti has maintained a legal interpretation on whether the suspects can vie for presidency in the coming elections, stressing that only the constitution can bar or let them free to enter the race.


PNU party politics

On 19 December 2008, President Mwai Kibaki who was unanimously endorsed as Party Leader at the PNU National Delegates Conference (NDC) held at Kasarani sports complex in Nairobi. In accordance with the Political Parties Act (2008), Saitoti was elected PNU chairman, becoming the second-in-command in the party hierarchy since he lost as KANU Vice-President in the battle for the Moi succession in March 2002. His elevation, however, complicated coalition politics and raised the stakes for the Kibaki succession in PNU. Other presidential hopefuls,
Uhuru Kenyatta Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta (born 26 October 1961) is a Kenyan politician who served as the fourth president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Kenyatta was chosen by Daniel Arap Moi as his preferred successor, but Kenyatta was defeated by opposition le ...
and
Kalonzo Musyoka Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka (born 24 December 195is a Kenyan politician who was the tenth Vice-President of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. Musyoka served in the government under the late President Daniel arap Moi and was List of Foreign Ministers of Ke ...
, shunned the party and embarked on consolidating their respective parties. In November 2010, Musyoka, Kenyatta and Saitoti signed a protocol to form and transform the PNU Alliance into a common political vehicle for the 2013 presidential race. But the imperative to comply with the Political Parties Act (2011) forced them to abandon the Alliance and shift attention to their respective parties.


Goldenberg scandal

Saitoti was both
Vice-President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...
and Finance Minister at the height of the 1991–1993
Goldenberg scandal The Goldenberg scandal was a political scandal where the Kenyan government was found to have subsidised exports of gold far beyond standard arrangements during the 1990s, by paying the company Goldenberg International 35% more (in Kenyan shilling ...
. Even though his own culpability in the fraud has never been established, for decades the
Goldenberg Goldenberg is a surname of Jewish-Austrian or Jewish Romanian origin. Notable people with the surname include: * Billy Goldenberg (born 1936), American composer * Carl Goldenberg (1907–1996), Canadian lawyer & politician * Charles Goldenberg (19 ...
has become the proverbial
Sword of Damocles A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed tip ...
used against Saitoti in intra-elite power wars. In early 1999,
Raila Odinga Raila Amolo Odinga (born 7 January 1945) is a Kenyan politician, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Langata and businessman who served as the Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. He is assumed to be the Leader of Opposition in Kenya sin ...
as a presidential contender to succeed Moi as president, sued Saitoti and others over alleged role in the
Goldenberg scandal The Goldenberg scandal was a political scandal where the Kenyan government was found to have subsidised exports of gold far beyond standard arrangements during the 1990s, by paying the company Goldenberg International 35% more (in Kenyan shilling ...
. Three months after his re-appointment as vice-president on 3 April 1999, Otieno Kajwang', a Raila ally, moved a private member's motion of no confidence in the vice-president for his alleged role in the Goldenberg fraud. Saitoti survived the onslaught. The Goldenberg spectre returned to haunt Saitoti in the wake of the fierce political infighting between the LDP/KANU faction and Kibaki supporters in NARC that followed the 2005 referendum. On 3 February 2006 a report by the Goldenberg Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Justice
Samuel Bosire Justice Samuel Elkana Bosire was a former appeal judge in the High Court of Kenya alongside others like Justices Nyamu and Riaga. His rise to fame stems from the famouS.M. Otieno burial disputeand time when he was appointed the chairman of the Gold ...
, recommended that George Saitoti should face criminal charges for his involvement in the Goldenberg scandal. On 13 February 2006, Saitoti voluntarily stepped aside from his ministerial docket to pave way for investigations into the allegations. However, on 31 July 2006, a three-judge bench headed by Justice Joseph Nyamu issued a certiorari order clearing Prof Saitoti of any wrongdoing, expunging his name from the Bosire Commission Report and issuing an order on permanent stay of prosecution against Saitoti."Saitoti wins 16-year Fight to be Cleared"
, ''Sudan Vision'', 5 August 2006.
In dismissing the 23 paragraphs of the report, the High Court bench cited three inter-related errors of commission and omission by the Bosire Commission: * The inquiry into the Goldenberg fraud had created a pyramid of noticeable bias, discriminatory treatment of evidence, submissions and factual errors that undermined the pursuit of justice and fairness. * The factual flaws, biased and unprofessional handling of evidence by Inquiry led to wrong findings. The Inquiry's claim that Prof Saitoti illegally approved the 15 per cent ex-gratia payments as additional payment over and above the 20 per cent export compensation allowed at the time under the law were factually wrong. Indeed, the customs refunds, which Saitoti was accused of approving, were actually passed by Parliament. * Long delay and wrong findings by the Goldenberg inquiry denied Prof. Saitoti any conceivable chance fair trial and justice. On 15 November 2006, President Kibaki reappointed Saitoti back to Cabinet. In April 2012, the vetting board found Justice
Samuel Bosire Justice Samuel Elkana Bosire was a former appeal judge in the High Court of Kenya alongside others like Justices Nyamu and Riaga. His rise to fame stems from the famouS.M. Otieno burial disputeand time when he was appointed the chairman of the Gold ...
unfit to serve in the judiciary citing fails as the Chairman of the Goldenberg Commission of Inquiry. He ignored a High Court Order to summon retired President
Daniel arap Moi Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ( ; 2 September 1924 – 4 February 2020) was a Kenyan politician who served as the second president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. He was the country's longest-serving president. Moi previously served as the third vice ...
,
Musalia Mudavadi Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi (born 21 September 1960) is a Kenyan politician and land economist who is currently serving as the Prime Cabinet Secretary of Kenya. Until October 2022, he was also the party leader of the Amani National Congress (ANC ...
and
Nicholas Biwott Nicholas Kipyator Kiprono arap Biwott (1940 – 11 July 2017) was a Kenyan businessman, politician and philanthropist. Biwott served as a civil servant, Member of Parliament and government minister, during which time he held eight senior minist ...
as witnesses. The vetting board also accused Justice Nyamu of undermining public confidence in the courts for issuing a permanent stay of prosecution against Saitoti.


Linda Nchi

Starting October 2011, Saitoti worked closely with national Minister of Defence
Mohamed Yusuf Haji Mohamed Yusuf Haji ( so, Maxamed Yuusuf Xaaji) (23 December 1940 – 15 February 2021) was a Kenyan politician. He was the Minister of Defence of Kenya from 2008 to 2013, and briefly served as its acting Minister of Internal Security and Provinc ...
to see through Linda Nchi, a coordinated operation in southern
Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
between the
Somali military The Somali Armed Forces are the military forces of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Headed by the president as commander-in-chief, they are constitutionally mandated to ensure the nation's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Cha ...
and the Kenyan military against the Al-Shabaab group of insurgents.Joint Communique – Operation Linda Nchi
/ref> The mission was officially led by the Somali army, with the Kenyan forces providing a support role. In early June 2012, Haji signed another agreement re-hatting Kenya's deployed military forces in Somalia under the
AMISOM The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was a regional peacekeeping mission operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations Security Council. It was mandated to support transitional governmental structures, implem ...
general command.


The Kibaki succession race

In November 2011, Saitoti confirmed that he was in the race to succeed President Kibaki, who is set to retire after the next general election. Saitoti reiterated his candidature in January 2012, continuing to tour Kenya, with meet-the-people excursions to the Rift Valley, Eastern and Central provinces. It appeared to be history repeating itself in the battle for the soul of the Kikuyu between, Saitoti, a
Maasai Maasai may refer to: * Maasai people *Maasai language * Maasai mythology * MAASAI (band) See also * Masai (disambiguation) * Massai Massai (also known as: Masai, Massey, Massi, Mah–sii, Massa, Wasse, Wassil or by the nickname "Big Foot" Mas ...
with
Kikuyu Kikuyu or Gikuyu (Gĩkũyũ) mostly refers to an ethnic group in Kenya or its associated language. It may also refer to: * Kikuyu people, a majority ethnic group in Kenya *Kikuyu language, the language of Kikuyu people *Kikuyu, Kenya, a town in Cent ...
kith and kin, and
Uhuru Kenyatta Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta (born 26 October 1961) is a Kenyan politician who served as the fourth president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Kenyatta was chosen by Daniel Arap Moi as his preferred successor, but Kenyatta was defeated by opposition le ...
, a thorough-bred Kikuyu. Uhuru is widely thought as the presumptive successor to President Kibaki, but Saitoti was emerging also, as a likely candidate. In the event that Uhuru's run for the presidency is thwarted by the confirmed charges by the ICC, it remains a too-up as to whether Saitoti would have benefited from the spin-off.


Private life

Saitoti was a businessman who had interests in agriculture, horticulture, real estates, hospitality and pastoralism. Saitoti's family life received little publicity. His wife, Margaret Saitoti, was with him when the High Court dropped charges in the 16-year Goldenberg case. His brother,
Ronald Musengi Ronald Musengi is a career banker and civil servant in Kenya, formerly a commissioner of the National Police Service Commission. He is widely known for institutional police reforms in Kenya including rigorous police lifestyle audits and developmen ...
, has been a banking executive with the
Kenya Commercial Bank     KCB Bank Kenya Limited is a financial services provider headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. It is licensed as a commercial bank, by the Central Bank of Kenya, the national banking regulator. The bank has also been running Agency banking model ...
. In February 2012, Ronald Musengi applied to be a member of the National Police Service Commission.


Death

Saitoti died on Sunday 10 June 2012 at around 9:00 am when a
Eurocopter AS350 Airbus Helicopters SAS (formerly Eurocopter Group) is the helicopter manufacturing division of Airbus. It is the largest in the industry in terms of revenues and turbine helicopter deliveries. Its head office is located at Marseille Provence Ai ...
helicopter belonging to the
Kenya Police ) , formedyear = 1906 , formedmonthday = , preceding1 = , dissolved = , superseding = , employees = approx. 101,000= , volunteers = , budget = , country = Kenya , ...
Air Wing registration 5Y-CDT, carrying him and the Assistant Minister for Internal Security, Joshua Orwa Ojode, crashed in the Kibiku area of Ngong forest, killing them and four others. He was buried on 16 June in Kajiado North constituency. After the Maasai elders agreed to abandon the traditional burial rites and embrace the Catholic way, fifty bulls were slaughtered at the funeral in accordance with Maasai tradition. Al Shabaab militias and drug traffickers are the main suspects for the disaster. Investigations have not yet found anyone guilt

Saitoti was to table a ministerial statement in Parliament.


List of publications

Saitoti, G. (2005). "Keynote address given during the official opening of the sub-regional seminar for TIVET policy makers and UNESCO UNEVOC Center Coordinators". Nairobi, Kenya. ____________(2004). "Education in Kenya: Challenges and policy responses". Paper presented at the Council on Foreign Relations, Washington D.C. ____________(2003) "National conference on education and training, Meeting the challenges of education and training during 21st century". Nairobi. ____________(2003). "Reflections on Africa Development", ''Journal of Third World Studies''. Saitoti, G. and KANU Review Committee(2002), ''Report of the KANU Review Committee, 1990''. The Committee, Nairobi. ____________(2002).''The Challenges of Economic and Institutional Reforms in Afric''. Ashgate Publishers Limited. ____________(1985). i mathematica'', Politechnika Warszawska Technical. ____________ "A remark on Mod 2 K-Theory fundamental classes". ''Ann. Fac. Sci. Univ. Nat''. Zaïre (Kinshasa)Sect. Math.-Phys. 3 (1977), no. 1, 61–63. ____________"Homology of a differential algebra". ''Publ. Math. Debrecen'' 23 (1976), no. 3-4, 235—237. ____________"K-Theory fundamental classes". ''Demonstration Math''. 8 (1975), No. 4, 365–377. ____________A note on the homology of a differential graded algebra. ''Nigerian Journal of Science''. 8 (1974), no. 1-2,127–130. ____________Loop spaces and K-theory. ''Journal of London Mathematics Society''.(2) 9 (1974/75), 423–428.


Positions

* Member, National Security Committee (NSAC), Kenya. (2008 – death) * Chairman, Cabinet Sub-committee on ICC, Kenya. (2009 – death) * Chairman, Party of National Unity (PNU) (2008 – death) * Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs (October 2010 – August 2011) * Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security (January 2008 – death) * Minister of Education (November 2006 – January 2008) * Minister of Education (7 December 2005 – 13 February 2006) * Minister of Education (January 2003 – November 2005) * Vice-President (3 April 1999 – 30 August 2002) * Minister for Planning and National Development (December 1997 – April 1999) * Vice-President (1 May 1989 – 8 January 1998) * Minister of Finance (1983–1988) * Vice-President, African Mathematical Union (1976–1979)


References


External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20070927182239/http://www.parliament.go.ke/MPs/members_saitoti_prof_g.php
Research

Goldenberg a tough test for the maths don
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saitoti, George 1945 births 2012 deaths Members of the National Assembly (Kenya) Vice-presidents of Kenya Brandeis University alumni Alumni of the University of Warwick National Rainbow Coalition politicians Government ministers of Kenya Interior ministers of Kenya Party of National Unity (Kenya) politicians Kenya African National Union politicians Kenyan mathematicians Alumni of Mang'u High School Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Kenya Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 2012 Victims of helicopter accidents or incidents Maasai Kikuyu people Ministers of Finance of Kenya United Democratic Forum Party politicians Burials in Kenya