Kenya History Then and Now
Early History
Fossil evidence shows that man's prehistoric ancestors roamed Kenya as early as 4 million years ago.
The modern history of Kenya however, did not start until the Cushitic people from Northern Africa moved into present day Kenya around 2000 BC. The Bantu arrived and settled at the Coast at around 200 AD. Later between the 10th-14th centuries Nilotic people arrived and occupied the Rift Valley plains.
Arab traders started frequenting the Kenyan Coast in the first century A.D. By 700 A.D. Arab settlements had sprouted along the coastline giving way to intermarriages between the Bantu and Arabs. This formed the beginning of the Swahili culture and language we have in Kenya today. Then in 1498 Portuguese arrived and settled in Kenya's coast ending the Arab dominance. It was during their stay at the coast that they built the famous Fort Jesus in Mombasa in 1593. The Portuguese lived in control of much of the coast until the late 1600s when the Imam of Oman defeated them, bringing the Coast under Islamic control.
Kenya Colonial History
The colonial history of Kenya starts at the Berlin Conference of 1885 when European nations divided Africa among themselves. In 1894 the British government declared the East African Protectorate over Kenya and Uganda. The protectorate became a colony in 1920. The Kenya historical events timeline below highlights key events of the colonial period.
1944: Kenyan African Union (KAU) formed to campaign for independence.1947: Jomo Kenyatta becomes KAU leader.
1947: The Mau Mau rebel movement is born
1952: Mau Mau activities intensify. Colonial government declares state of emergency. Kenyatta, Achieng Aneko and others are arrested.
1953: Kenyatta is sentenced to 7 years imprisonment on charges of leading Mau mau.
1959: Kenyatta is released from prison.
1960: State of emergency ends. Britain starts preparing Kenya for majority African rule. James Gichuru, Oginga Odinga and others form Kenya African National Union (KANU)
1963 June 1st: Kenya achieves internal self-government (Madaraka).
1963 December 12th: Kenya gains independence. Jomo Kenyatta becomes Prime Minister.
Post-Independence History
Kenya under President Jomo Kenyatta
Mzee Jomo Kenyatta
On December 12th 1964, Kenya became a Republic. Jomo Kenyatta became Kenya's first President with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga as his Vice President. Odinga later had ideological differences with Kenyatta. In 1966, Odinga left KANU and formed an opposition party, Kenya People's Union (KPU). Kenyatta banned KPU and from 1969 KANU became the only political party in Kenya. Kenyatta remained president of Kenya until his death on August 22, 1978.
Kenya under President Moi
Upon Kenyatta's death the Vice President Daniel arap Moi became Kenya's second President. In June 1982 parliament amended the Constitution officially making Kenya a one party state. This marked the start of the clamor for a "second liberation".
Daniel Arap Moi
In August 1982 a section of the Air force attempted to overthrow Moi's government. The Army suppressed the coup attempt. Between 1982 and 1990 the democratic space in Kenya was much suppressed. People perceived to oppose the government were banned from KANU. Many were detained, exiled while others were tortured in the dreaded Nyayo House chambers.
The fight for the "second liberation" intensified culminating in the formation of Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD) in 1991. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was one of the main leaders of FORD.
Multiparty Democracy is born
In 1992 parliament revoked the section of the Constitution that made Kenya a one party state. In December 1992 Kenya held its first multiparty elections. Kenya's President Moi won the elections to start his first five-year term under the new constitutional amendments. In the second multiparty elections in December 1997 Moi won a second and final five-year term.
In 2002 the main opposition parties united under one coalition, NARC. The NARC candidate Mwai Kibaki defeated Uhuru Kenyatta of KANU thus ending KANU's thirty-nine year reign.
Mwai Kibaki
The NARC government has dramatically reversed the negative economic growth and hardship once experienced in Kenya during President Moi's tenure.
In 2005 internal conflicts caused the NARC coalition to break up. A splinter group teamed with KANU to successfully campaign against a government backed proposed new constitution. This splinter group became the Orange Democratic Movement of Kenya (ODM-K). ODM-K has since split into two parties ODM-K and ODM.
Kenya today
Kenya was thrown into a political turmoil after the December 27, 2007 presidential elections failed to produce a clear winner. A peace deal was brokered creating a National Reconciliation Accord that saw President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga share power equally through a grand-coalition government.
The symbols of nationhood: The flag and the National Anthem of Kenya
The Constitution of Kenya: What does it say? How does it govern the country and the people of Kenya?
Structure, achievements made by the Kenya Government
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