Download - Kenya: Our History our Future
Kenya: Our History our FutureA presentation to Association of
Kenyans in DiasporaBridgewater State college
Boston 17th-20th July 2009By
Rapaine Ole Koissaba BenPartnership for Change/NCSC
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Members• Coast Land Advocacy• Kenya Land Alliance• Muungano wa Wanavijiji• Maa Civil Society Forum• Shelter Forum• Kikuyus For Change• Rift Valley Youth Alliance• National Coalitions of
IDPs• RECONCILE• KNCHR• KHRC• Youth Agenda• Mars Group
• National Civil Society Congress
• Partnership For Change
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Ee Mungu Nguvu yatu,Ilete Baraka Kwetu
Haki iwe Ngao na UliziNa tukae na undugu Amani na
UhuruRaha Tupate na Ustawi
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Early Contacts • 14th Century
contacts with ancient Greeks and Chinese .
• 16th Century Portuguese explorers- Vasco-Da Gama
• 18Th Century Arabian conquests
• Emergence of new culture
• Africans lost sovereignty
• Destruction of African values
• Emergence of the Swahili language
• Slavery
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The European Conquests• 1849 First Contacts by CMS
Missionaries' Krapf and Rebmann
• In 1883 Joseph Thompson became the first European to traverse Maasai territory.
• In 1886, Germany and Britain signed a treaty
• 1887 Sir WILLIAM MACKINNON founded the Imperial British East Africa Company (IBEAC) designed to open the hinterland for British trade; the company obtained a concession from Sultan Bargash of Zanzibar for the Sultanate's territory on the coast within the British sphere of interest, for fifty years
• 1899. Nairobi made the capital• 1904 Anglo Maasai
Agreements
• Scramble for Kenya land and other resources
• Converts• Africans were not
consulted• They were dispossed of
their indigenous lands and other resources
• Leadership structures disorganized
• Forced into provide cheap labor to new European enterprises
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Resistance to external occupation by the Indigenous Communities
• 1895-1899, The Luo and Luhya resisted
• 1895-1906, The Nandi • 1904-1907, The Kikuyu and
Embu revolted • 1907-1914. The Kisii• 1913- The Maasai file case in
court• 1921 Young Kikuyu Association,
Kenya's first all-African political organization.
• Kenya African Union (KAU), was established in 1944.
• 1953- The Mau Mau revolution• 1962- Maasai walk out of
Lancaster conference• 12th December 1963 Kenya It
declared independence
• Repressive action against the communities that revolted.
• Many Africans lost lives.
• Africans put in concentration camps
• Displacements and loss of land
• Denial of opportunity for self expression and denial of justice
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Immediately after Independence.Enter Kenyatta
. Ambitious resettlement programs
. Creation of the Million acre scheme in the Rift Valley
. Formation of Land buying companies- GEMA, Nyakinyua, Ngwatanoro- mostly form central province
. Changing of Constitution- Creation of executive presidency.
. Political fall out- Jaramogi and Murumbi
. Threat of cessation by NFD – Massive killings
. Appointment of Moi- To silence Rift Valley
. Political assassinations and disappearances.
.LAND ACQUISITION WAS THE DRIVING FORCE
• Feeling of political and economic marginalization by the Luo, Maasai, Somalis etc.
• Introduction of over 22 laws that have a direct relationship with land
• Privatization of land and sanctity of the Title emphasized in disregard of whether the processes were legal
• Trust Land titles for all the community land.
• The president abrogates powers to control land.
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Moi and Fuata Nyayo
• Political Marginalization of communities perceived to be anti system
• Political detainees• State sponsored land grabbing• Sponsored repression – The
Wagalla Massacre, Nakuyen Massacre etc
• Political patronage• Tribal clashes• Emergence of vibrant civil
society• Repealing of Section 2A of the
constitution• Multi Party• Moi must GO
• Looting of national coffers
• Environmental destruction
• Land grabbing mania• Tribal Politics.• Blood letting- 82 coup/
Sabasaba revolt• Community conflicts
and tribal clashes- 1992/97
• Demonization of the Kikuyus
• Decline in the economyOle Koissaba 09
Kibaki and the MoU
• Dis-houring of the MoU• Political fall out• Sense of revenge by certain
communities.• Continuation of corruption in the
echelons of power• Defeat of the draft constitution.• Clamor for historical injustice by
some communities- coast, Rift Valley and Central Province.
• The land policy formulation Process• Resurgence of land base pressure
groups• Maasai , the Ogieks and Coastal
people demonstrations. • Clashes in Naivasha, Baringo, NE• Government high handedness
response- Arrests, killings and deregistration of Civil society organizations.
• Increase in tribal coalitions• Disunited government• Upsurge of rights based CSOs• Resurgence of unlawful armed
groups • Loss of life and destruction of
property• Tribal politics • Rampant big time corruption• Police and pre-judicial Killings• Disappearances• The Stolen election• Elections Violence
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Post 2007 Elections
The National Accord
• Formulation of Coalition Government
• CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM-12 months
• INSTITUTIONAL REFORM: THE JUDICIARY-12
months.
• INSTITUTIONAL REFORM: THE POLICE-12 months
• INSTITUTIONAL REFORM: THE CIVIL SERVICE
• INSTITUTIONAL REFORM: THE PARLIAMENT
• LAND REFORM
• POVERTY,INEQUALITY AND REGIONAL
IMBALANCES
• POVERTY,INEQUALITY AND REGIONAL
IMBALANCES
• CONSOLIDATING NATIONAL COHESION AND
UNITY
• TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, IMPUNITY
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Observations
• Kenyans have been subjected to historical injustices over the last 150 years.
• Tribal polarization.• Increased level of poverty.• Increased crime rates.• Dispossession ,displacements and land grabbing• Increase in state orchestrated corruption.• Loss of life and destruction of property• Politically instigated political mistrust• Increased disparities in access to resources for
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What is your role in shaping the future• To Change leadership- Responsive,
Responsible and Respectable leadership• Change the culture of impunity• Build Nationhood.• Reduce poverty• Equity distribution.• Accountability for our past • Quality education for all.
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