HISTORY

1884 -1920: Origins of the Kenyan State

1920 - 1963: Building the Colony

1963 - 1978: Jomo Kenyatta

1978 - 2002: Daniel arap Moi

Kenya Historical Timeline >

TIMELINE KENYA

1884: Berlin Conference.
The partition of Africa among European powers. The British are more interested in Buganda and Lake Victoria as the source of the Nile. However they must also have control of the land area between L. Victoria and the Indian Ocean, hence the British East Africa Protectorate.

1895: Construction of the Kenya – Uganda Railway commences at the centuries-old port of Mombasa. The railway opens up the interior and many of Kenya’s towns began as railway centres.

1901: Railhead reaches the shores of Lake Victoria at Port Florence, now Kisumu which was then administered from Uganda.

1914 – 1918: The Great War.
British forces in Kenya engage the Germans in Tanganyika. Battles fought on land and at sea. At the close of the war, Germany loses Tanganyika. Britain administers Tanganyika on behalf of the League of Nations, thus consolidating its control of East Africa.

1920: British East Africa Protectorate declared the Kenya Colony.

1920 – 1939: The beginnings of African political activism on account of discriminative policies in land ownership, agriculture, employment, education, religion, etc.

Among the leaders is a young man who had previously worked for the Nairobi Municipal Council, Johnstone Kamau. Johnstone travels to Britain to take the African agitation closer to colonial authorities, where he resides for another 20 years.

While in Britain, he renames himself “Jomo Kenyatta”.

1939 – 1945: World War 2.
Thousands of African men drafted into the Kings African Rifles (KAR) to fight for Britain in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and Burma (now called Myanmar).

1946 – 1952:
Increased agitation for Independence after the war.

Policies barring Africans from commerce, employment and civic affairs get worse as settler numbers increase.

Jomo Kenyatta returns to Kenya.

1952: Beginnings of armed conflict between security forces and African fighters mostly under the “Mau Mau” movement. State of Emergency declared on October 20 by Governor Evelyn Baring. Jomo Kenyatta and other African leaders arrested. Scores of Africans rounded up and sent to detention camps.

1955: A 31-year old school principal in the Rift Valley province is persuaded to join politics after the colonial government allows African representatives into the Legislative Assembly. His name: Daniel Toroitich arap Moi.

1957: Military defeat of the Mau Mau guerrilla movement. However the movement inspired resistance in other African countries thus helping to speed up the Independence process.

1960 – 1963:
Formal talks between Britain and African leaders leading up to Independence.

First multiparty elections freely contested by Africans held. Jomo Kenyatta’s party, the Kenya African National Union (KANU) wins the election.

Independence constitution written.

1st June 1963: Internal self-government for Kenya.

12th December 1963: Kenya becomes an independent nation within the British Commonwealth. Jomo Kenyatta sworn in as Prime Minister, the Queen of England remains Head of State.

1964: Kenya becomes a Republic on 12th December 1964 with Jomo Kenyatta as first President. By this time, he is already 74. President Kenyatta preaches reconciliation with white settlers and national unity among African tribes, thus paving the path to political stability in Kenya.

At the height of the Cold War, Kenyatta leads the country into capitalist fold.

1964 – 1969: Mzee Jomo Kenyatta falls out with two Vice Presidents. First was Jaramogi Oginga Odinga then Joseph Murumbi. In 1966, Jaramogi attempts to form an opposition party but the party is proscribed and its supporters thrown into detention.

1967: Daniel arap Moi appointed Vice President, a post he is to hold for 11 years and which leads directly to the Presidency.

1969: Cabinet Minister, Tom Mboya, assassinated by a sniper on the streets of Nairobi.

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1970 – 1977: Jomo Kenyatta, though getting older, still has a firm grip on the country.

1978: Jomo Kenyatta dies in his sleep. Vice President Daniel arap Moi takes over in an acting capacity. His position is confirmed through elections held within 90 days, as stated in the constitution.

1978 – 1982: The new President announces a new direction for the country. All political detainees released. Reforms in the school system and in agriculture begin. Attempts made to create more ethnic balance in government.

1982:
Kenya becomes a single party state by law. The only legal political party is KANU, the Kenya African National Union.

Coup attempt by junior soldiers of the Kenya Airforce. The coup is crushed within hours; the Airforce is disbanded, senior military and police officials detained.

1983: President Moi falls out with Charles Njonjo, a rich, powerful minister who is then accused of betrayal. Njonjo is not jailed but is shunted out of public life. His supporters across the country lose parliamentary seats in snap elections.

1984: Major drought leading to appeals for international food aid.

1985:
Masterminds of the 1982 coup attempt executed by hanging after court trials. This marked one of the last criminal executions in Kenya, though the courts continue handing out the "death sentence" to this day.

The first case of AIDS reported in Kenya.

1988: General elections held under the queue system of voting. Voters line up behind candidate of choice rather than casting ballots. Elections condemned as unfair.

National celebrations held to mark 10 years of Moi’s Presidency.

1989: Kenya Television Network (KTN) becomes the first private television station, ending a monopoly held by the state-owned network.

1990:
Foreign minister, Dr Robert Ouko disappears from his rural home. Three days later, his body is found in the bush – burnt and with a gunshot to the head. The murder is never resolved.

Pressure increases on the government (and President Moi) to repeal the constitutional clause of 1982 making Kenya a one-party state. Widespread riots in Kenyan cities causing deaths of several dozen people.

1991: President Moi agrees to a return to multiparty democracy.

1992: Tribal clashes in the Rift Valley as a result of political tension and incitement by politicians close to Moi.

General elections held. Opposition parties legally registered and allowed to contest against KANU and Moi. Opposition loses election.

1993: Economic turbulence. Highest inflation in Kenyan history averaging 100% weekly. Liberalization of foreign exchange and of the economy. Price controls abolished.

1994: Economic stability restored. Beginning of massive layoffs in the civil service. Power rationing is introduced for the first time in Kenya’s history, slowing down economic growth even further.

1996: Capital FM launched in Nairobi. It’s the first private, commercial FM station in Kenya. Afterwards the government issues licences to many more private television and radio stations. However, most of the new stations are owned by companies with connections to powerful politicians.

1997: Tribal clashes at the Coast and in the Rift Valley, again incited by politicians loyal to Moi.

General elections held, KANU and Moi triumph over a fragmented opposition.

1997 – 1998: El-Nino induced rains cause massive flooding across the country washing away roads. Outbreaks of Rift Valley fever and highland malaria due to unusually high rains.

2000: All day power rationing plunges the country into darkness – and the economy into a steep downward spiral. GDP shrinks by 1.5%, the first instance of negative growth in Kenya’s history.

Two new mobile operators, Safaricom Ltd and Kencell, launch operations from Nairobi. Ordinary citizens can now afford mobile phones unlike previously when the state owned Telkom Kenya was the sole mobile phone network and its prices were out of reach.

2002: General elections held without Moi as a candidate due to the two-term constitutional limit. Former Vice President Mwai Kibaki wins the presidency running on a coalition or opposition parties.

2003 – 2004: Power wrangles within the ruling coalition frustrate the new government’s efforts at reform and economic revival.

2005: Raila Odinga, a minister in President Kibaki's government leads a cabinet revolt. He walks out with several cabinet ministers opposed to the President and his clique. President Kibaki loses a national referendum on constitutional reforms and fires his cabinet. When the cabinet is reconstituted, it does not include Raila and his supporters.

2006 - 2007: Economic reforms pay off resulting in annual growth of 6%, which however is criticized as inequitable. Numerous reconstruction projects initiated across the country to rebuild infrastructure neglected for over 20 years.  However, Kibaki is accused of tribalism and cronyism.

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