Kenya’s Political Turmoil Is a Tale of Fathers and Sons
- 6 years ago
Kenya’s Political Turmoil Is a Tale of Fathers and Sons
Maina Kiai said that History is not exactly repeating itself,
In the end, Mr. Kenyatta set up a buyback scheme, which meant the land "went more or less to the political elites," said
Odenda Lumumba, the chief executive officer of the Kenya Land Alliance, a national land rights group based in Nanyuki.
The colonial rulers wanted Mr. Odinga to lead the new Kenya,
but Mr. Odinga had other ideas: He demanded Mr. Kenyatta’s freedom — and his appointment as Kenya’s first head of state.
The elder Mr. Odinga advocated sharing state resources — especially the land the
British settlers would leave behind — among Kenya’s many ethnic communities.
But they had a falling out over the direction of newly independent Kenya — especially over land and power — and became bitter adversaries.
And so, in 1964, when Kenya became a republic, Jomo Kenyatta became its president, and Jaramogi Odinga vice-president.
His government also cracked down on dissent, harassing
and jailing opposition figures and democracy advocates, censoring the press, canceling the passports of perceived "enemies" of his government — all moves the younger Mr. Kenyatta has reinstated, in these last weeks, as he battles with the younger Odinga.
Maina Kiai said that History is not exactly repeating itself,
In the end, Mr. Kenyatta set up a buyback scheme, which meant the land "went more or less to the political elites," said
Odenda Lumumba, the chief executive officer of the Kenya Land Alliance, a national land rights group based in Nanyuki.
The colonial rulers wanted Mr. Odinga to lead the new Kenya,
but Mr. Odinga had other ideas: He demanded Mr. Kenyatta’s freedom — and his appointment as Kenya’s first head of state.
The elder Mr. Odinga advocated sharing state resources — especially the land the
British settlers would leave behind — among Kenya’s many ethnic communities.
But they had a falling out over the direction of newly independent Kenya — especially over land and power — and became bitter adversaries.
And so, in 1964, when Kenya became a republic, Jomo Kenyatta became its president, and Jaramogi Odinga vice-president.
His government also cracked down on dissent, harassing
and jailing opposition figures and democracy advocates, censoring the press, canceling the passports of perceived "enemies" of his government — all moves the younger Mr. Kenyatta has reinstated, in these last weeks, as he battles with the younger Odinga.