Kiambu's most infamous robber-baron (and it is a competitive pool) was undoubtedly a man named JK Mbugua or simply Kiarie wa Njoki or Kiarie Muiici. Legends abound about him, including how he acquired his vast land holdings which once included the parcel Jubilee House in Pangani stands on. Another, common about untouchable robber barons of his day, was that he had been given a 'license to steal' by Jomo Kenyatta after he stole one of his rings. Despite the obvious padding, the only true part was that the man was untouchable.
when Moi was working to break the Kikuyu hold on the economy, Kiarie found himself hounded out of some of his land and properties. He asked for, and got, an audience with Moi. An elderly unassuming man until you crossed him, he was ushered into Moi's State House office carrying a briefcase. Moi sat on his power seat, sipping a cup of coffee and waiting for the man to state his case.
So Kiarie opened his briefcase and calmly removed several title deeds to show he owned the properties. Then from the briefcase he removed a Ceska pistol, and placed it on the table. In Walking in Kenyatta's Struggles, Duncan Ndegwa describes how Moi nearly choked on his coffee. He then rushed the meeting, telling the old man that he would look into. Kiarie was arrested and interrogated, but the gun hadn't been loaded, and his story was that he had simply forgotten to remove his gun from the briefcase. He was released and never bothered again.
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KENYAN HISTORY AND ITS VILLAINS
No FicciónWe all know where we come from. Don't we? If not, i will take you back those lanes.
