Kenya Africa National Union (KANU) was the first ruling party while Kenya Africa Democratic Union (KADU) was the first opposition party in independent Kenya. Original KANU members were Jomo Kenyatta, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, James Gichuru, Tom Mboya, and Martin Shikuku.
KADU founder members were Daniel Arap Moi, Masinde Muliro and Ronald Ngala. KADU was formed with the sole intention of safeguarding the interests of the minority communities. The so called minority tribes wanted to cushion themselves from the Agikuyu Luo dominance.
Soon after colonial flags were lowered, a move that culminated with the hoisting of the Kenya flag, leaders of the time conspired to squander the country’s resources. In quick succession, neo-colonialism replaced white-collar colonial rule. The hunters became the hunted. Independent minded leaders who stood firm to protect the interests of the majority were silenced. Positive criticism was replaced with sycophancy, out of the fear of being silenced.
Political persecutions and assassinations in Kenya
Pio Gama Pinto, Tom Mboya and JM Kariuki were among the first causalities of independent Kenya martyrdom. Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first Vice President, was the government’s major bone of contention. Jomo Kenyatta was angry with Jaramogi’s persistent nagging and devised a way to neutralize him.
1966 will go down history of Kenya as the darkest one, when police fired live bullets to Kisumu residents who had come in large numbers to heckle the President for disrespecting their regional kingpin – Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
Jaramogi and Kenyatta had become great enemies, and the President had come to open a newly constructed Russia hospital. Kenyatta was not willing to be humiliated by Jaramogi and knowing well that he was in his home turf, nothing was left to chance.
The President’s security was confronted with a great challenge and the security forces were not ready to be blamed for laxity. Things turned tragic as trigger happy presidential guards fired randomly at the protesting crowd, killing and injuring many people.
Kenya as a de jure one Party State
President Moi made Kenya a de jure one party state in 1982, a time when a section of the Kenya Air force junior officers attempted to overthrow his government, under the command of senior private Hezekiah Ochuka. The President had illegalized the formation of any other party to compete with KANU. Several leaders were sent to prison, while others were subjected to house arrest.
Prior to the 1992 general elections, the opposition had been split. A year before the first multiparty elections, the country witnessed imponderable socio-political upheavals. Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD), formed in 1991, was the leading opposition party. Ford founder members were Masinde Muliro, Oginga Odinga, Kenneth Matiba, Martin Shikuku, Ahmed Bamahriz, Paul Muite, Philip Gachoka, George Nthenge and James Orengo among others.
Divide and Rule
The self-proclaimed professor of politics, the commander in chief of the armed forces, the chancellor of all public universities and MP for Baringo Central H.E Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi used the policy of divide and conquer. Masinde Muliro who was one of the leading multiparty crusaders passed away on 14th August 1992. Immediately after the dead of Muliro, FORD disintegrated into two factions, due to ideological differences on the system of choosing party officials.
Ford split into Ford Kenya and Ford Asili. Ford Kenya was led by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga with the assistance of Paul Muite and Wamalwa Kijana, while Ford Asili was under the leadership of Kenneth Matiba with Joseph Martin Shikuku as his assistant. There were other parties such as the Democratic party of Mwai Kibaki and Johnstone Makau’s Social Democratic party (SDP).
Referendum
The independence constitution, albeit with key amendments was becoming antiquated. The proposed constitution was subjected to a national plebiscite in November 2005. The Mwai Kibaki led government supported the proposed draft constitution while on the other hand; a renegade group led by Raila Odinga opposed the proposed constitution.
National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) got a major blow when the proposed constitution was rejected by a simple majority. The renegade group later on branded as Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) reinvented itself as a political party.
Cracks started emerging within the juvenile movement. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, who later on became the Vice President, was skeptic about Raila’s intentions. Kalonzo was not in any way going to surrender the Presidential ticket. He thought his time for ruling was riper than ever. Uhuru Kenyatta, the original Orange member, retreated back to his tribal cocoon and supported Kibaki’s reelection. Uhuru maintained leading his KANU party and grotesquely chose to support Kibaki’s reelection.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) emerged stronger as the political heat gained momentum. Originally, ODM had five presidential contenders namely Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi, William Ruto, Najib Balala and Joseph Nyaga. Later on, Charity Ngilu’s NARC party joined the ODM team and threw their weight behind Raila Odinga.
The party nominations held at Kasarani paved way for Raila’s candidature. Political swords were unsheathed, political songs were sung as 2007 general elections drew nigh. The indomitable scion of Jaramogi was the most popular candidate in Kenya. ODM’s wave was strong to resist. Transcending the Coast, through the Great Rift Valley, cutting across the land of ‘mulembe’ towards the shores of Lake Victoria, Raila’s ODM was at its roaring crescendo.
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