Many years ago, specifically the twentieth century (1978-2000), Kenya’s people suffered with many problems. While reading “It Happened On The Way To The War” a lot of questions arose about why a lot of things are the way they are in Kibera, Kenya’s largest slum. One main question that had arisen was about the government. Therefore I asked, what is the political structure, are there elections and do the people have a voice? It seemed that if a country has many problems then the government, specifically the president, takes a great deal of the blame. If the country doesn’t have a steady government that usually explains why the country is the way it is. Understanding Kenya’s politics would explain in greater depth the mystery of how Kenya worsened so much by the year 2000.
According to Alan Rake and Michael Jennings in Regional Surveys to the world, Kenya’s political structure is in fact a democracy. The democracy was executed very well when Jomo Kenyatta was running the country. Jomo Kenyatta’s leadership is what grew Kenya to such maturity said Patricia Hauga. However in middle August 1978 well respected Jomo Kenyatta died. October 1978 was when Daniel arap Moi was sworn in. However when Moi was sworn into presidency there wasn’t an election with voting by the people. He was sworn in to serve the remaining year of deceased Kenyatta’s term and for another five-year term afterward. Though Moi had pledged to continue Kenyatta’s Polices, it was shortly after the swearing in when Kenya begin to change in 1980. The year of 1981 was when Kenya began to see problems, both, economically politically and socially. Though Kenya begins to see problems as early as 1981, it wasn’t recognized as much yet. Early 1987 were when noticeable worldwide criticism of Moi’s Government greatly increased and allegations about human rights abuse developed in Kenya.
While Daniel arap Moi had received much criticism he was returned unopposed for a third term due to an election March 1988 (Africa South of the Sahara 2005 34th Edition). In 1998 Moi begin to officially change the rules of the democratic political structure and made it less free and more oppressive. Gray Phombeah stated, “He has been described as a master tactician: shrewd, manipulative and always one step ahead of his opponents” (Phombeah) Moi used unfair policies to stay president so the people never fairly elected him as their president.
In the year 2000, the country significantly worsened. The New York Times reported, “In a nation of 27 million, at least 5 percent of the country’s people live as squatters. The employment rate is about 45 percent.” At the same time “Kenya parliament accuse[d] several people, many with close ties to Pres Daniel arap Moi, of corruption that has cost nation hundred, of millions of dollars” (Fisher “Battle”). Moi’s affiliation with them quickly got him associated with the corruption, which gave him a bad representation. He also got blamed for a great deal of other things. People “Blame[d] efforts of Pres Daniel arap Moi to preserve his one-man rule; hold his government strangled vibrant economy and fomented ethnic violence”. He destroyed an “economy that was vibrantly alive” which cause violence “where there was none”. (Harden).
In 2000 Kenya’s long-lasting problems were at a crisis and the president of 22 years refused to take responsibility for any of it. The economy was so bad as result of the corruption and horrible management; and an estimation of two million people might face serious starvation. And Moi’s response to everything is “he cannot control” it (Fisher. “Brownouts”). He himself has said “Kenya – once among the most stable and prosperous nations in Africa – is “facing its worst-ever crisis”. In BBC article, economist and columnist, Robert Shaw stated, “In the last 15 years, Kenyans have become poorer and poorer”. There “average income is some $1 a day” and because there was such a high unemployment rate crime was on the rise – “armed robbery and carjacking”. Moi was one to promise more than he can show (Phombeah).
Kenya’s political structure played a huge part in all the problems in Kenya. To quote Ian Fisher, “People accuse the country’s leadership of destroying the country”. The Kenyans felt the government should take majority blame of all problems because they were leadership. President Daniel arap Moi did get most of the blame and his nonchalant irresponsible ways just added fuel to the fire. Nevertheless, he didn’t care to better it or search for a solution; instead he just said he couldn’t control what happen. The people of Kenya on the other hand did point out that
“He has kept the country united, ended powerful Kikuyu domination of Kenya’s politics and business, and put in place a multi-party system. But, at the end of his presidency, his critics say Mr. Moi leaves his country burdened with economic mismanagement, corruption, political repression and continuing ethnic tensions.”(Phombeah)
Despite some good highlights during his presidency, Kenyans still felt, Moi was to blame for the entire downfall in their country due to the bad out weighing the good he did bring for the country. He brought Kenyans to a horrible economic situation, violence, starvation, crimes, and countless more issues. Moi was finally replaced in 2002 then democracy continued.
References
Fisher, Ian “Battle for Land in Kenya Has Deep, Bitter Roots.” New York Times May 2000: 6. Newspaper Source Plus. ESBCO. Web. 15 Sept. 2011
Fisher, Ian. “Brownouts in Kenya Highlights Its Chaos and Misrule.” New York Times 25 June 2000. Newspaper Source Plus. EBSCO. Web. 15 Sept. 2011
Harden, Blaine. “The Last Safari.” The New York Times Magazine 4 June 2000: 66(E). Academic OneFile. Web. 15 Sep. 2011
Phombeah, Gray. “Moi’s legacy to Kenya.” BBC NEWS World Edition 5 August 2002
Rake, Alan. Jennings, Michael. “Regional Surveys to the World”
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