Former Karachuonyo Constituency Member of Parliament David Okiki Amayo was one of the most feared politicians during the late Daniel Arap Moi’s tenure.
Amayo was born in 1929 in Homabay County, then prominently called South Nyanza.
He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Karachuonyo Constituency in 1969 and re-elected in 1974.
However, he lost the seat in 1979 and again in 1983 to Phoebe Asiyo before reclaiming it in 1988 thanks to President Moi.
During Moi’s tenure, Amayo headed the much-dreaded KANU disciplinary committee.
Under his leadership, the committee became known for its strict enforcement of party loyalty, often expelling members for perceived disloyalty or dissent.
Senior politicians literally trembled whenever they appeared before the Amayo-led committee.
The former MP once expelled a member of parliament from KANU and made him lose his seat for failing kutingiza kidole ya KANU properly.
Amayo worked very closely with PS Hezekiah Oyugi, Superintendent of Police James Opiyo and Bernard Chunga to suppress the Mwakenya movement that threatened Moi’s grip on power.
As Chairman of the disciplinary committee, he secretly passed the names of politicians he considered to be anti-Moi to PS Hezekiah Oyugi.
Oyugi then forwarded the names to Superintendent of Police James Opiyo, who was notorious for his harsh interrogation methods at Nyayo House.
Opiyo routinely coerced suspects into signing confession statements, which were later used in court.
Once the confessions were secured, he handed the suspects over to the judiciary, where Deputy Public Prosecutor Bernard Chunga ensured they were convicted and given lengthy prison sentences.
Amayo became so powerful that even Moi, who had appointed him, felt threatened and decided to disband the committee.
The KANU Disciplinary Committee was disbanded around 1989 after it began being used to settle vendettas and personal differences.
“If you give a person power and money, he forgets his limits of authority,” Moi said after disbanding the committee.
