What teachers and youth can learn from President Daniel Moi

The late President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi was a teacher long before he became Kenya’s second President. He taught in primary schools and at Tambach Teachers Training College, and even when he was in State House from 1978 to 2002, he still called himself Mwalimu. His journey from a classroom in Baringo to leading the nation holds many lessons for teachers and youth today in Kenya.

For teachers in Kenya, Moi’s life teaches the power of character formation. He believed education was not just about passing exams but about building discipline, obedience, and love for the country. He always promoted free milk in schools and tree planting because he saw the school as the centre of the village. A teacher, in his view, was not just an employee but a community parent. This is a lesson for teachers across Kenya to see their work beyond the salary.

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For the youth in Kenya, the first lesson is patience. Moi served as Vice President for eleven years under Jomo Kenyatta, staying loyal and patient even when many others wanted to overthrow him. In a time when many young people in Kenya want quick success through politics or quick money online, Moi teaches that lasting success requires waiting, loyalty and preparation. He often said there are unlimited opportunities in life outside politics, in farming, business and service.

The second lesson is to work with what you have where you are. Moi constantly told young people in Kenya to go back to the land and to love practical work. He did not believe that everyone must go to Nairobi to succeed. For youth in Kenya, this means seeing value in their own villages, farms and small businesses. Development does not need to come from outside; it can start with local resources in every county.

The final lesson for both teachers and youth in Kenya is the value of peace. His Nyayo philosophy of Peace, Love and Unity was simple but powerful. He taught that no learning and no business can grow in chaos. For a generation in Kenya that is very vocal in politics, Moi’s message was that you can disagree without destroying each other, and you can compete without hatred.

By Enock Okong’o

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