My encounter with oldest living American president

Jimmy Carter, 96, who was US president in 1977-1981, is one of four former occupants of the White House living, and soon to be joined by Donald Trump. The others are Bill Clinton (1993-2001), George W. Bush (2001-2009), and Barack Obama (2009-2017).

After he retired, Kenya was the African country most visited by Mr Carter – he came half a dozen times – before old age slowed him down.

I had a brief chat with him during one of his visits in August 1993. The meeting was secured by then US embassy spokesman, T. J. Dowlings.

The former president was in Nairobi to inspect work by his foundation, the Carter Centre, which was on a campaign to eliminate the guinea worm disease, besides seeking peace in the war-torn southern Sudan, then part of Sudan.

But I wasn’t interested in all that. I wanted to interview him on his personal life. When I was in primary school and Mr Carter was president, I had learned he was a “born-again” Christian. I got to know when my elder sister, Ruth, came home with a church publication Ushindi wa Msalaba (victory on the cross), which carried a Kiswahili translation of the testimony President Carter had given to an American magazine about his faith in Jesus Christ.

 My sister was specifically excited that Mr Carter had become a Christian on the encouragement of his sister, also called Ruth. In asking me to read the magazine, my sister hoped I would one day be president. Well, she wasn’t very far off the mark because I eventually became “president” of my house where we are only four “voters”, but I hardly get a majority!

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So, now, many years later, I thought it would be a great opportunity to have Mr Carter personally give his testimony to me. I also wanted to ask him about peanut farming and perhaps try the same on my small farm in Laikipia. Lastly, I wanted him to advise me on how to sustain a fitness regime.  Even at his advanced age, he still walks five kilometres a day.

Mr Dowlings asked me to do a brief questionnaire and drop it at the Hotel Intercontinental, where Mr Carter was staying. On the morning I arrived at the hotel, I found the former president had declined to be served breakfast in the presidential suite and insisted on sitting by the swimming pool outside where other guests were soaking in Nairobi’s early morning sunshine.

The special agents guarding the former president tried to stop me as I headed where he was seated, but the embassy spokesman quickly stepped forward, held my hand and led me to the president’s table, to the chagrin of the officers who perhaps would have preferred to toss me into the pool fully clothed.

On introducing me, the spokesman said: “Mr President is right here. Now you can tell him what you wanted.”

 The former president, who was in the process of breaking the shell on his second boiled egg, turned to me: “What can I do for you Kymyu (that is how he pronounced my name)?”

“Mr President, when I was a young boy, I learned that you are a born-again Christian. It was from a magazine given to me by my sister, called Ruth, like your sister. I would love to publish an update of that testimony in a local newspaper. I would also be happy if you could share with my readers what you have been doing since you left the White House.”

He replied, visibly elated: “That is very interesting to hear, Kymyu. Are you and you sister Christians?” “Yes we are, Mr President”

“Great”, he said. “And are there many Kenyan journalists who are Christians?”

“There are, Mr President.”

I was beginning to fear it was me who was being interviewed and not the other way around, when the former president said: “Kymyu, good you have given out the questions you want me to answer. I will be happy to grant the interview. The embassy spokesman will be communicating to you on venue and time of the interview.”

“I will be honoured to interview you, Mr President,” I said, as the embassy spokesman rose to escort me out.

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From the Intercontinental, Jimmy Carter proceeded for a meeting with President Moi at State House, Nairobi. Afterwards, he was at Afya House to discuss the guinea worm disease with then-Health minister Joshua Angatia.

The special agents refused that the meeting take place in the minister’s office on the sixth floor, saying they couldn’t trust the old, rickety lifts at the ministry headquarters. The minister had to go to the boardroom on the ground floor.

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From Afya House, Mr Carter and his wife Rosalyn flew out for a three-day excursion in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. There, the special agents had to run the five kilometres the former president ran every morning and evening.

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A day before Mr Carter left Nairobi for Kampala, Mr Dowlings telephoned to request I be at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the morning and he would squeeze me in for a few minutes’ chat with the former president. I did as advised.

I was among a handful of local and international journalists allowed to access the VVIP lounge where the former president would briefly engage us. The only other appointment for him was a meeting with Col John Garang, then the leader of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). He was first to be ushered in.

About half an hour later, Mr Carter and his guest came out, shook hands and the former president headed straight where we were. The embassy spokesman apologised that Mr Carter was behind schedule and he would only take three questions – two from local journalists and one from a foreign journalist.

I didn’t ask a question, thinking the spokesman had booked a special slot for me. Suddenly, Mr Dowlings pointed me out to the former president.

“Hello Kymyu,” he said with a wide smile that suggested we had known one another since childhood,  “Sorry, I am unable to meet you today. But, please, make a point to come to the church in Georgia and I will give you all the information you want.”

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Well, I am yet to make good the invitation to attend service at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia. Maybe I should ask one of the Kenyans I know who live in Georgia to do so on my behalf.

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Early in the week, President-elect Joe Biden fractured his leg while playing with his dog. The dog was not injured. Outgoing President Trump sent a get-well-quick message.

Maybe Mr Biden’s handlers should consider drastically cutting on the dog’s rations or banish it from the White House altogether, lest it wreck more havoc on the US President as he works overtime to undo the mess left by his predecessor.

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