SOCIAL, ECONOMIC
AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND CHALLENGES IN KENYA SINCE INDEPENDENCE
Introduction
Kenya
got independence on 12th December 1963. On the night of this day,
the colonial flag called The Union Jack was lowered
and the Kenyan flag raised.
POLITICAL
DEVELOPMENTS AND CHALLENGES FROM 1963-1991
Main developments.
Kenya
adopted a Multi-party system at independence. The main political parties
included:
a)
KANU-Ruling
party
b)
KADU-Main
Opposition party
c)
APP-
African Peoples Party- Opposition party
NB: the
president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta did not want many opposition party. Reason-
they would prevent national unity.
At this
time, KANU was facing the following challenges:
i.
Ethnicity
ii.
Ideological
difference whereby there were Radicals and moderates in KANU.
The radicals were led
by Oginga Odinga, Bildad Kaggia and Fred
Kubai while the moderates were led by Jomo Kenyatta, Tom Mboya and James
Gichuru.
iii.
Serious
rivalry from the opposition (KADU) over federation.
NB: The main difference between KANU and KADU
at this time was that KANU favoured UNITARY constitution/government while KADU
advocated for a FEDERAL constitution/government/Majimboism.
To do
away with the opposition, Jomo Kenyatta authorized his then Vice President Oginga Odinga to persuade KADU and APP
to join KANU.
This was
achieved by December 1964 as the following leaders of KADU crossed to KANU:
ü
Ronald
Ngala
ü
Masinde
Muliro
Paul Ngei of APP who moved to KANU earlier had
been made a minister.
As a
result of this movement, Kenya became a DEFACTO
ONE PARTY STATE (by fact and not by law)
since KANU remained as the only party in Kenya.
ABOLITION OF FEDERALISM
ü
In
1964, the parliament abolished the federal system which Kenya had at
independence.
ü
At
the Lancaster House Conference, KANU reluctantly accepted the federal/majimbo
system for the sake of independence.
ü
On
12th December 1964, Kenya became a republic with an executive
president who was also:
v
the
head of state
v
the
head of government
v
the
head of the ruling party
Main developments in 1964
a)
Kenya
became a republic on 12th December 1964
b)
The
federal system/ majimboism was abolished
c)
The
post of the governor was abolished
THE LIMURU CONFERENCE OF 1966
