Nicholas Kipyator Kiprono arap Biwott, EGH, (22 February 1940 – 11 July 2017) also known as the "Total Man"https://nation.africa/kenya/news/the-day-nicholas-biwott-called-himself-total-man-423472 was a Kenyan businessman, politician, and philanthropist, who worked in the governments of the fathers of Kenyan independence, Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi. He held eight senior civil servant and ministerial positions that included Minister of State (1979–82), Minister of Energy (1984-1985, 1990), Minister of East African and Regional Co-operation (1998–99) and Minister of Regional Development, Science, and Technology (1982).
Biwott was widely regarded as one of the most powerful and competent ministers of president Moi's government. He was also at the forefront of efforts to deepen regional cooperation. Former president Uhuru Kenyatta eulogised Biwott as a "patriot and diligent leader, who spent decades building schools and hospitals and spearheading every other kind of development including marketing Kenya abroad".
Early life & Education
Biwott was born in Tot, Chebior village, Elgeyo-Marakwet District in the Rift Valley Province of British Kenya, on 22 February 1940 to Maria Soti and Joseph Cheserem Soti, a market trader and cattle herder in Eldoret. He attended Tambach Intermediate School from 1951 to 1954, after which he joined Kapsabet High School.
After finishing secondary school in 1959, Biwott began working at the Department of Information in Eldoretafter which he published the Kalenjin monthly newsletter with Kendagor Bett.
He attended the University of Melbourne, Australia, from 1962 to 1964, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science, as well as a Diploma in Public Administration.
Biwott then served as a District Officer in Nkubu in the South Imenti Division of Meru District from 1964 to 1965, becoming one of the first Kenyans to serve in a senior administrative role when Kenya attained independence, returning to the University of Melbourne in 1966 to study for a master's degree in Economics under a Commonwealth scholarship. In his autobiography A Moving Horizon (chapter 2, page 31), Ambassador Francis Muthaura recalls being inspired by Biwott when he saw him as a young district officer in post-independence Kenya, Among the other figures Muthaura highlights from this era is Eliud Mahihu, under whom Biwott served. Mahihu was the first African provincial commissioner of Eastern Province and later of Coast Province during the regime of Kenya's first president, Jomo Kenyatta. A key ally in the Kenyatta administration, he was present at the president's death in 1978 and played a crucial role in the transition of power to Daniel arap Moi.
During his studies in Australia, Biwott met his Dutch-Australian wife, Hannie Biwott, whom he married in 1965 and with whom he had two children; they remained married until he died in 2017. Biwott had five children from relationships outside his marriage. Details of the parentage of his children, which had previously been the subject of speculation, were clarified following his death through his will, which was made public and published in local dailies.
Political career
Biwott was a member of parliament for 28 years. In 1974, he ran unsuccessfully as a prospective MP for the Keiyo South Constituency. At the next election (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 Constituency. In the Parliamentary elections held on 27 December 2007, running on a KANU ticket, he lost his seat to Jackson Kiptanui Arap Kamai of the Orange Democratic Party (ODM). The ODM swept to victory in all but one of KANU's seats on the Rift Valley.
Following the 2002 election, Biwott served on the Devolution Committee of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission. Biwott was the only Member of Parliament who abstained on the Constitutional Referendum held in 2005, stating that the Draft Constitution 'would divide the country along ethnic lines'. The draft Constitution was rejected at the Referendum.
In 2005, Biwott contested for the leadership of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), the former ruling party founded by the late Jomo Kenyatta, but lost the post to his son Uhuru Kenyatta following a decision by the Kenyan High Court.
Service in government of Kenya During his ministerial career, Nicholas Biwott held several senior portfolios, including Energy, Tourism and Wildlife and Regional Development. His tenure coincided with a period of major state-led infrastructure expansion and increased international engagement, particularly in energy policy and regional development initiatives. He was regarded as one of the most influential figures within government during the 1980s and 1990s.
District Officer
Biwott entered government service in 1965 as the District Officer, in South Imenti and Tharaka, Meru District (January 1965–66). As District Officer Biwott instituted, on a 'harambee' basis, community fundraising programmes to aid the development of local irrigation projects and roads, to build a health centre at Nkwene and schools at Nkubu and Kanyakine, develop employment at the Igoji quarries and promote the planting of coffee and tea. He was also actively involved in the resettlement of previously European owned land through the 'Land Transfer' programme, part of the 'Million Acres' scheme, and played a central role in the rehabilitation of the Mau Mau, many of whom still remained in the Mau Forest four years after the end of the 'Emergency', helping to persuade them to give up violence and organising the resettlement of many on to their own land.
Ministry of Agriculture
Having completed his master's degree in Australia in 1968, Nicholas Biwott returned to public service in the Ministry of Agriculture, GOK, Personal Assistant to Minister Bruce MacKenzie (1968–70). He coordinated cereal production, the marketing of cereal crops and the management of the Ministry's fertiliser policy, and helped develop research into new strains of wheat and maize more suited to the growing conditions in Kenya. He played a similar co-ordinating role for the Ministry's work with the East African Council of Ministers (MacKenzie was also a member of the council), guiding Kenya's policy in the region in the development of ports, railways and the East African Airways.
Treasury
In 1971 Nicholas Biwott moved to the Treasury as Senior Secretary under the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mwai Kibaki. In 1972, he created and headed the External Aid Division and technical assistance program dealing with external resources, bringing in experts and arranging cultural exchanges. Notably, he helped facilitate the establishment of the French School in Nairobi (now called the Lycee Denis Diderot), the French Cultural Centre with the Alliance de Francais, and the German Friederich Ebert Stiftung Foundation in co-operation with the Goethe Institut.
Ministry of Home Affairs
In late 1978, Nicholas Biwott transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs on the personal recommendation of President Kenyatta to work with his vice-president and the Minister of Home Affairs, Daniel arap Moi.
In 1974, Biwott stood as a candidate for the Keiyo South constituency in the general election of that year but was narrowly defeated.
Following the 1974 election, Nicholas Biwott was recalled to the Ministry of Home Affairs as Under Secretary (1974–78) to Minister Daniel arap Moi, Kenya's vice-president. With the ageing President Kenyatta unable to fulfil all the functions of the presidency, Moi took a leading role in the East African region with the result that Nicholas Biwott spent much of the next four years dealing with the Organisation of African Unity, the Commonwealth, the 'non-aligned' states and promoting the 'good neighbourliness' policy with states bordering Kenya.
Kenyatta's death in 1978 saw Daniel arap Moi elevated to the presidency and Nicholas Biwott promoted to Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Office of the PresidentStatehousekenya.go.ke , Minister of State 1978–79 (1978–79).
Minister of State
Following the election of 1979 (in which he was elected Member of Parliament for 1979 Keiyo South election, a seat he retained until December 2007), Nicholas Biwott returned to the Office of the President but now promoted to Minister of State (1979–82) with responsibility for science and technology, cabinet affairs, land settlement, and immigration.
Under his leadership the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) was established in the same year to carry out health science research in Kenya. KEMRI continues its work as "a leading centre of excellence in the promotion of quality health").
Minister of Regional Development, Science and Technology
In September 1982, he was appointed Minister of Regional Development, Science, and Technology. Learning from examples of other regional development policies, notably in Australia and Tennessee in the US, he created two regional development authorities, the Lake Basin Development Authority and the Kerio Valley Development Authority.
Minister of Energy
In September 1983, Nicholas Biwott was made Minister of Energy and Regional Development and in March 1988 (following a reorganisation of ministry portfolios) he became Minister of Energy, a post he held until January 1991.
Over the next seven years, he was instrumental in establishing the National Oil Corporation, the building of National Oil storage facilities near Nairobi and connecting them to the Mombasa refinery, and extending the pipeline from Nairobi to Kisumu and Eldoret. This period that saw rapid advances in efforts to improve Kenya's electricity supply and delivery with a rural electrification programme, work beginning on the Sondu Miriu Dam, and the completions of the Masinga Multi Purpose Dam, the Kiambere Hydro Electric Dam and the Turkwell Hydro Electric Multi Purpose Dam.
Minister of East African and Regional Co-operation
Although he remained a member of parliament, Biwott held no position in the Government of Kenya from 1991 until he re-entered government as Minister of State in the Office of the President of East Africa in 1997. In January 1998, he established and was appointed Minister of the new Ministry of East African and Regional Co-operation (1998–99).
Nicholas Biwott played a central role in COMESA – the Common Market for East and Central Africa, co-ordinating with COMESA partner Ministers legislation for an East African Road network, legislation for an East African Legislative Assembly, and becoming Chairman of both COMESA and of the East Africa Council of Ministers.
Minister of Trade and Industry, Tourism and East African Cooperation
In September 1999, Biwott's ministerial portfolio was expanded when he became Minister of Trade and Industry, Tourism, and East African Cooperation (1999–2001), a post he held for the next three years during which he established a Tourist Trust FundTourist Trust Fund with the European Union, set up the Tourist Police and re-introduced the East Africa Safari Rallies.
Biwott's promotion of Kenyan tourism met with some praise. He was variously described as "the hardest working minister of tourism Kenya has ever had"New York Times magazine, June 2004 and as "the best minister of tourism in 25 years".Mahmud Jan Mohamed, Chairman of Kenya Tourism Federation, quoted in New York Times magazine, June 2004