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Dr. Taitta Arap Towett, was the minister for Education in Kenya between 1969 and 1979. He maintained his trademark spectacles on the forehead until his death in a road accident on the outskirts of Nakuru Town on 8th October 2007 at the age of 82.
He was an enigma who had peculiarities that one would find intellectually difficult to rationalize.
In June 1961, and while serving as the Minister for Lands Settlement and Housing, the 4ft 10 diminutive politician bravely told a huge crowd during a political rally in Kericho that those who wanted land for free should as well go to the Sahara Desert where there was plenty of land for free.
In the 1980’s he conducted a study on the sleeping habits of moles and went further to establish the effects on human beings if someone ate the mole. He had first wanted to use cats for the study but abandoned the feline animals because he discovered their ineptness. The cats were naturally heavy sleepers and he settled on the moles.
In 1981, Towett revealed that he had written a will, indicating his corpse should be preserved for human anatomy studies.
His Mashimoni residence was not visible at ground level because it was built below ground level, hence the name ‘Mashimoni’ (bunker).
His vehicles either had the front passenger seats removed or turned backwards so that the person occupying them faced him. His reasoning was so that he could look at the person talking to him in the eye.
His 26 children and wives could not just walk into his house. He always insisted that they book an appointment with him.
Even in his old age, Towett always kept time and often chided latecomers.
Which of his peculiarities have I mis-represented and which have I forgotten.