Nicholas Biwott
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Kipyator Nicholas Kiprono arap Biwott (born 1941) is a wealthy Kenyan businessman and politician. Biwott and the former president of Kenya Daniel arap Moi (1978-2002) are from the same Kalenjin tribal background, but different sub-tribes. Biwott is a Keiyo, while Moi is a Tugen. During Moi's presidency, Biwott was one of Kenya's most powerful politicians.
Biwott was named by Scotland Yard detective John Troon as a person of interest in the 1990 murder of Kenya's Foreign Affairs minister Robert Ouko. He denied any wrongdoing. Biwott's name has been mentioned in a number of corruption scandals [1], however he has never been successfully prosecuted for any of the allegations.
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[edit] Education and early life
Biwott was born in Chebior village, Keiyo District, Rift Valley Province in 1941. Between 1950 and 1954, Biwott attended Tambach African Government School, one of his teachers being Daniel arap Moi, who was later to be president of Kenya. Biwott then attended Kapsabet Government African School in Kapsabet until 1958.
In 1959, Biwott began working at the Department of Information in Eldoret. Later, he, together with Kendagor Bett, published the Kalenjin Monthly newsletter.
Biwott studied government and economics in Australia between 1960 and 1965, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
[edit] Political career
Between 1965 and 1979, Biwott was employed in a number of positions. Starting as a District Officer in Meru, he later transferred to Nairobi, working in the Ministry of Agriculture, the Treasury, and then the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In 1974, Biwott ran as an MP for the Keiyo South constituency, but was defeated. The next election in 1979 he was successful, standing on KANU ticket in Keiyo-Marakwet, retaining the seat in 1983 and 1988. In 1992,1997, and 2002 he was elected the MP for Keiyo South.
In the Parliamentary elections held on December 27th, 2007, Nicholas Biwott running on a KANU ticket lost his Keiyo South Parliamentary seat to a political novice Jackson Kiptanui arap Kamai of the Orange Democratic Party (ODM). Biwott managed to get 9,845 votes compared to his opponents 30,830. Biwott had served continuously as the MP for Keiyo South from 1979.
Interestingly in the same general elections of December 2007, his wife Professor M. Chepkoech Kamar running on the opposing party, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket, was able to win her parliamentary seat in the neighbouring Eldoret East constituency.
Biwott held a number of posts within the government:
- 1979–1982: Minister of Regional Development, Science and Technology
- 1982–1991: Minister of Energy
- January–December 1997: Minister of State in the Office of the President
- 1998–1999: Minister of East African and Regional Co-operation
- 1999–2001: Minister of Tourism, Commerce, and Industry
- June 2001–December 2002: Minister of Trade and Industry
More recently, Biwott has fought an election for leadership of KANU, the former party of government and now the official opposition. He was soundly beaten by Uhuru Kenyatta.
Biwott has three wives: Australian Hannei, Tanzanian Kavista Lessie, and Dr Margaret Kamar.
He is also considered one of the richest men in Kenya. It is alleged that Biwott acquired a vast personal fortune during Moi's rule, mostly associated with the Goldenberg scandal. This includes a whole street in Australia and the Yaya Centre (supposedly named after his daughter or business partner's daughter) in Nairobi.
On various occasions, Biwott has described himself as 'Total Man' and a 'Clean Politician' although during Moi's rule he was one of the most feared politicians in the country.
In December 2004, Biwott was banned by the U.S Department of state from entering the United States for alleged corruption [2].
On December 20th 2007, the British High Commission banned Nicholas Biwott, Mr. David Mwiraria and two other businessmen from travelling to the United Kingdom. The High Commission issued a circular to airlines that fly to the UK, informing them of the ban. Nicholas Biwott later protested and said the ban was political in nature and had never done anything to warrant such action by British government or British High Commission.[3]
[edit] KANU Chairman
At a National Delegates Conference of KANU allied to Nicholas Biwott and Daniel arap Moi, held on November 24, 2006 in the coastal city of Mombasa, Nicholas Biwott was elected the chairman of KANU.
On November 27, 2006, the Registrar of Societies of the government of Kenya officially registered Nicholas Biwott as the chairman of KANU, replacing Uhuru Kenyatta. Also replaced by the registration were all the officials allied to Uhuru Kenyatta including the secretary general of KANU, William Ruto was who replaced by Dr. Josephine Ojiambo. This action by the government/Registrar of Societies was against the wishes of Uhuru Kenyatta and the faction of KANU allied to Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto and Orange Democratic Party of Kenya (ODM-K). The KANU faction allied to Biwott had accused the KANU faction allied to Uhuru Kenyatta of joining another party - ODM-K. [4] Biwott's takeover of KANU appeared to have the support and blessing of Moi, who is against any co-operation between KANU and ODM-K.
However, on November 30, the Deputy Speaker of the Kenyan Parliament ruled that KANU Members of Parliament had not elected a new Leader of the Opposition, therefore Uhuru Kenyatta would continue to serve as the Official Leader of the Opposition until the KANU Members of Parliament decide otherwise. [5]
On December 28, the High Court of Kenya reinstated Uhuru Kenyatta as KANU chairman; however, Biwott protested the move and further court proceedings followed. [6] On June 28, 2007, the High Court confirmed Kenyatta as party leader and ruled that there was insufficient evidence for Biwott's argument that Kenyatta had joined another party. Biwott's lawyer said he would appeal.[1]
[edit] References
- Cohen, David William & Odhiambo, E. S. Atieno (2004). The Risks of Knowledge: Investigations into the Death of the Hon. Minister John Robert Ouko in Kenya, 1990. Ohio University Press. ISBN 0-8214-1597-2. [7]
- ^ "Kenyan opposition leader's position upheld", Associated Press (IOL), June 29, 2007.
