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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