Kenya General Elections In Historical Perspective

As Kenyans marks 49  years  of  Uhuru this week  majority  of as including politicians racing to  state  house are  not  week  versed with  the  Countries  general elections historical perspective.

For  remainder Kenya general  elections  in  historical  perspective  can  be traced  since colonial  period  in  1905   which  every  politicians  and  seriously  students  of  history  should  understand.

The December 1992 General Elections were Kenya’s sixth general elections since independence. The elections which produced the first independence  government were held in May 1963, under the supervision of the then colonial government. Subsequent general elections were held in 1969, 1974, 1979 and 1988. In 1966 what is generally referred to as the “Little General Elections” were held after some 28 members of parliament left the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) to found an opposition party named the Kenya Peoples Union(KPU) under the leadership of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who had been Kenya’s Vice President . A fresh election was forced before the expiry of the constitutionally mandated five-year period because a hastily passed constitutional amendment decreed that no MP would continue as such if he/ she changed political parties after his/ her election unless he/she was elected afresh under the auspices of his/her new party.

The history of representation in the legislative body and elections in Kenya and in the East African Protectorate (as “Kenya” was called before 1920) goes beyond May 1963. In figure 1.1 we summarize the important dates in relation to the development of representation and elections.

YEAR                           EVENT

1905               An Order in Council establishes the Legislative Council. Initially only

                      Europeans are represented in it by non-elected official and unofficial persons.

1909               First Indian, A. M. Jevanjee, is appointed to represent Indian Interests. After

two years his appointment is revoked in response to European settler

pressure.

1916               The Legislative Council Ordinance, enacted through the East African Order in

Council, 1919  provides for full adult white suffrage. Eleven (11) elected seats in the

Legislative Council are reserved for whites only.

1919   Two (2) Indians are nominated into the Legislative Council to represent Indian interests.

1920   The Kenya colony Constitution allows for two (2) Indian elected members and one (1)

unofficial nominated member for Arabs.

1924      Five (5) members are elected from the Indian community

1925   One (1) unofficial member is nominated to represent the interests of Africans. He is a

European. In 1934 the number increases to two (2).

1944   An African, E.W. Mathu, is nominated to the Legislative Council. In 1946, F.W.Odede is

nominated as a temporary member. In 1948, number of members to represent Africans

is increased to 4 and 6 in 1952.

1956 The Legislative Council (African Representation) Act, 1956 (No.10) provides for six (6)

African elected members.  In the same year the number is increased to eight (8).

1957 first election in which Africans are elected to the legislative Council.

1958  The Lennox-Boyd Constitution provides for an equal number of elected representatives

between the European and African communities. Each racial group has fourteen (14) elected positions.

1961 Elections take place after the ban on the formation of political parties has been lifted.

KANU garners 63% of the votes and 16 seats and the Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) gets 16% of the votes and 11 seats.

May 1963 Elections are held in anticipation of independence. KANU emerges victorious both in

the House of Representatives and Senate. KANU garners 83 out 124 seats in the House of Representatives.

Dec 1963 Kenya becomes an independent country with a government formed on the basis of

the pre-independence May 1963 elections.

1966The “Little General Elections” take place after formation of the Kenya Peoples Union (KPU).

In the House of Representatives, out of 28 contested seats, KANU garners 21 with 36,000 votes while KPU scores 79,000 votes and gets seats.

1982 Kenya becomes a de jure one party state through a constitutional amendment.

1983 Fifth General Elections.

1988 Sixth General Elections in which secret balloting at the primary stage is eliminated and queuing used instead.

1992 Seventh General Elections since independence. First multiparty general elections since independence.

1997  President  Daniel  Arap thrashed  again  the  divided  opposition  in  general  election  held  in  December.

 2002  President  Mwai  Kibaki  under  joint opposition  NARC by  the  help  of Kanu  rebels remove  KANU  and    its  candidate  Uhuru  Kenyatta

  2007  President  Mwai  Kibaki  second  term against ODM  Raila  Odinga  in  confused  election  in  which  the  really  winner  was not  known, leading  to  coalition government