When he was sure Moi was listening, he whispered, “Look, I don’t mean to disrupt your evening, but I hope you know what that authority really means.”
“I still don’t understand what this is all about – so what do you mean with ‘authority’ ?”
“The authority to summon any witness.”
“And …?”
Biwott finally dropped the bomb, “ Marianne could also be summoned …….. she could come back to Nairobi …….”
*******************************************
Marianne …….
How he had dreaded to hear that name again. He realized how mixed his feelings for her still were and also how strong. Do I still love her or should a rather hate her now?
But the moment Biwott had mentioned her, Moi knew something had to be done.
First of all, he had to ensure that she was not allowed back into Kenya.
So far, she had managed to keep her public comments about Dr. Ouko to the business and official matters related to his death. That been wise. What worried Moi now was that she could finally decide to drop the ball also on the private matters.
In the two previous investigations, witnesses had studiously limited their testimony to the politics of Dr. Ouko’s death. They had tried hard to paint his death as a tragedy that stemmed only from the corruption surrounding the Molasses Plant in Kisumu.
But Marianne knew better and this was the reason why he had never allowed that she was called to testify during these previous investigations.
Marianne knew every aspect of this case and also the more crucial factor in this so-called mystery. And she knew it as the eventual disclosure of the one factor that scared him most.
Could it really be that Marianne finally had decided to talk?
Moi feared she had.
And because of this he had to keep her out of Kenya.
He left his guests at the tent – the one he always used to host visitors – and hurried to the house.
Marianne …….
The name spoilt the mood – it always spoilt his mood. That’s why Biwott had tried to kill her – finish her back then. But that was a lot of water under the bridge. If there was the slightest possibility that she might be summoned to testify, Moi needed to stop it now.
Marianne cannot come here !
With resolve, he picked up the phone and dialed a number in Nairobi. It rang twice. Then a man answered, “Hello?”
Cough, “It’s me, Moi.”
The man’s eyebrows went up. He was baffled. A call from Moi? Not to sound freaked, he said, “How are you, Mzee?”
“First of all, congratulations on being named Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee. I wish you luck.”
“Thank you, “the man replied.
“Now, there is just one thing I need to tell you,” Moi coughed again, “There is one witness I do not want your Committee to summon.”
“Mzee, with all due respect, by a majority-vote in Parliament, my Committee has been empowered to summon anybody it deems necessary to get to the bottom of this case. We will therefore summon whoever we feel has relevant information ….. even if it is you, Your Excellency.”
Moi was amused. He obviously does not know that nobody will ever dare to summon me …… He then said, “ You can summon me.”
Confused, the man said, “Then who can’t we summon, Sir?”
Moi laughed dryly, “I know, Nicholas Biwott will also get in touch with you about this witness – but because of how weighty the situation is, I felt compelled to call you first.”
“So who are we talking about, “ the man asked.
Clearing his throat, Moi said, “Mrs. Marianne Briner-Mattern.”
Click ….
