Kenya Independence

On December 12, 1963, after 43 years as a colony and many more under subjugation at the hands of  colonialists, the Union lack (British flag) was lowered and replaced by the true Kenyan Flag. A new national anthem, based on a Pokomo tune, was played to the ecstatic crowd.

Music greats, Miriam Makeha of South Africa and Harry Belafonte 0f US, entertained guests. On the day, Kenya gained full independence. Kenyatta coined Harambee (lets pull together) and then Uhuru na Kazi (Freedom and Hard Work) to rally the people around nation building.

Kenya Under One Political Party

KAN U , which formed the government, was later joined by KADU when the opposition party dissolved
itself voluntarily in November 1964. A year after independence, in December 1964, Kenya became a republic and ceased being a dominion of the Queen England. Kenyatta thus graduated from a prime minister whose head of State was the Queen to a President only answerable to the people of Kenya. He then appointed Odinga Vice-President.
Independence and after The Kenyatta Government got down to work with gusto: Land resettlement, Kenyanisation of the economy, expanding schools, hospitals and infrastructure, and establishing Kenya as a strong voice in Africa and the world.

The foundation of the Kenyan nation was laid during Kenyatta’s reign. Many current institutions parastatals, local banks, colleges, schools and cooperatives, among others – were set up at the time.

Moi at the helm

Kenyatta died on August 22, 1978 and buried nine days later on August 31. The transition was smooth and Vice-President Moi took over as the Constitution decrees. He pledged to continue in Kenyatta’s footsteps and was at the helm for 24 years, between 1978 and 2002.

During the period, more gains were made in education, health and other spheres of life. For example, it was during Moi’s reign that more universities were built. Kenya had had one university, Nairobi, since independence.

But in 1984, a second university, Moi, opened its doors to students. ln 1985, Kenyatta University College,
a constituent ofthe University of Nairobi, became a full-fledged institution. It was followed by Egerton, Maseno and jomo Kenyatta universities, which were upgraded from college status.

In 1985, the Government also changed the education system structure from the 7-4-2-3 to 8-4-4 to
meet emerging challenges. The system has undergone many reforms since.

ln the health sector, Nyayo Wards were the hallmark of the expansion of facilities. These made health services more accessible to the people.

Multi-Partyism in Kenya

Kenya was a multi-party democracy in law before independence and up to 1969 when Odinga’s Kenya People’s Union was banned. However, the law still provided for multi-partyism until 1982 when Section 2A was enacted, making the country a one—party State.

But in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the wind of change blew across the world especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Kenya was not left behind. Many people took issue with the dominance of the one-party
rule and demanded liberalisation of politics.

A movement led by Odinga, and other leaders such as George Anyona, demanded the repeal of`Section 2A that prohibited the formation of other political parties other than the ruling one. As the clamour for this
increased, influential politicians such as Kenneth Matiba, Charles Rubia and Raila Odinga, among others, joined the fray. But they were detained in Iuly 1990, but Kenyans’ desire for change was unstoppable. For the next 18 months, pressure mounted on KANU to repeal the law. Young professionals, especially lawyers, joined the fray. They included Kiraitu Murungi and James Orengo, Martha Karua,  and Paul Muite, a former MP, among others.

Veteran politicians such as Masinde Muliro, Martin Shikuku, Michael Wamalwa and George Nthenge also joined forces to see Kenya become more democratic. Their efforts bore fruit in December 1991 when the
Government gave in and repealed the law that had made Kenya a one-party state.

Many political parties were formed and elections have been multi-party and competitive since the 1992 General Election.

Kibaki Takes Charge

In 2002, Mwai Kibaki won the election in a landslide and the transition from Moi was smooth, making Kenya a shining example not only in Africa, but the developing world.

President Kibaki immediately declared primary school education free, winning acclaim locally and internationally. In fact, when former US President Bill Clinton was asked the person he would want to meet,
he cited the Kenyan leader courtesy of the free education policy.

Clinton said the programme had sent one million pupils to school in an instance. In the last seven years
under President Kibaki, Kenya has been transformed in many ways. Tax revenues have tripled from Sh200 billion ($2.5 billion) in 2002 to more than Sh600 billion ($7.5 billion) today, making the Government less dependent on foreign aid.

Education in Kenya

And with additional revenues, many things that looked impossible in the pre-Kibaki era have become possible. In addition to free primary education, secondary schooling is subsidised and free in day schools. Teacher training colleges, institutes of science and technology, technical colleges and polytechnics receive Government donations.

Enrolment in primary, secondary, tertiary and higher education has increased and nearly doubled in some.

CDF Constituency Development Fund

A novel programme, the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), has revolutionised development in rural
and urban areas. Each electoral constituency receives funds annually calculated on the basis of population and poverty index. They get close to Sh80 million ($1 million) a year each.

Residents are thus able to identiiy their priorities and fund them. Through CDF, schools and classrooms, hospitals and wards, and roads bridges have been built. The kitty has also been used to drill boreholes, build dams and support other development needs.

Kenya Public Service Reforms

Public service has improved with the introduction of performance contracting. As a result, service delivery has improved and loss-making State corporations now make profits. Salaries for civil servants, doctors, teachers, police and judicial stall have been raised several times in the last seven years.
Others that had collapsed have been revived.

Health in Kenya

Dispensaries, health centres, district and provincial hospitals, too, receive State grants on a quarterly basis.
The war on killer diseases — HIV/Aids, malaria and TB — is on and many gains have been recorded. Drugs for these diseases are free in Government hospitals. Children under Eve years of age get free medical treatment in public hospitals as d0 women who seek maternity services.

Infrastructure in Kenya

This has received unprecedented attention. Road construction is evident in all parts of the country on highways and rural roads. Airports have been expanded and built. Jomo Kenyatta in Nairobi is under a Sh10 billion ($1.25 billion) expansion programme and the Kisumu one at Sh3 billion ($375 million). Wajir Airport was built in 2006.

Energy in Kenya

Homes, schools and shopping centres have received priority in the 150,000-a-year power connections drive. To make Kenya less dependent on hydro sources of power, investments have been made in wind and geothermal sources.

Conclusion

Kenya’s political history is a clear illustration of a nation whose vision is to improve the lives of its citizens and play its rightful role in the community of nations.