Kenya History

With the discovery of 2.6 million years old kenyanthropus platyops at Lomekwi near lake Turkana in Kenya by a team lead by the Leaky family in 1972, Kenya cemented its claim as the original "Cradle of Mankind". Ever since the missionaries and traders started arriving at the coastal region at the turn of the 20th century, Kenya has remained a key name synonymous with adventure, game animal and excitement.

The various Kenya people, the Bantus, Nilotes and Cushites moved to Kenya from various parts of Africa. Cushitic speaking nomadic people began moving to Kenya at a around 2000BC. They moved from Ethiopia and based themselves a round late Turkana and later spread to the hinterland. The Nilotes who including Maasai, Samburu, Luo and Turkana moved from southern Sudan and Uganda and settled on the shores of lake Victoria. The Bantus who include Kikuyu, Gusii, Akamba and mijikenda moved in through central Tanzania. Some of the Bantus settled in the coastal region while others moved to the central highlands.

Arrival of Vasco da Gama

Early in the 1648, the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrived in Malindi on his way to India. The Portuguese build the Fort Jesus in 1553 to defend the city from the seaside and the growing resistance from the Swahili people. In 1698, Mombasa fell to Baluchi Arabs from Oman. Fort Jesus was taken by the Arabs and soon after, the Portuguese left Kenya. The Sultan of Oman then controlled the region.

British East Africa

The first missionaries to venture into the Kenyan interior were Dr Ludwig Krapf, a German missionary of the church of missionary society of England and Reverend Johannes Rebmann. Dr. Krapf reached mount Kenya in 1883. Kenya's colonial history dates back in 1886 when the colonial powers divided East Africa into spheres of influence at a conference in Berlin. The Sultan of Oman was granted a 16km wide strip of the Kenyan coastline, which would remain under a British protectorate. In 1895, Kenya was declared a British protectorate and was officially name British protectorate.The protectorate was administered from Zanzibar, the residence of the 1st commissioner, Sir Arthur Harding.

The Kenya-Uganda Railway line

The British negotiated a treaty with Lenana the Laibon (Spiritual leader) of the Maasai community, allowing them to establish the railway line running through the heartland of the Maasai grazing lands. In 1898, the British started building a railway bridge over River Tsavo. The construction workers were terrorized by two lions, which ate about 140 workers. The man –eaters of Tsavo halted the construction of the bridge as many workers fled. The construction was restarted after Henry Patterson killed the first lion on December 9, 1898 and the other one three weeks later. Henry Patterson later wrote the book "The Man-eaters of Tsavo"

The railway build by Indians under the British rule lead to the transfer of the colonial administration from Mombasa to Nairobi in 1905. The white settles started to occupy the fertile land around Nairobi and the central highlands. This did not go well with the Maasai, Kikuyu and other local communities that were forced to give up their land to the newcomers. By 1950's the number of white settler had risen from 9000 in 1920's to 80,000 settlers.

Rise of Kenyan Nationalism

The first African political proKenya Vacations in Kenya against the colonial government began in 1921 by the Youth Kikuyu Association led by Harry Thuku. In preparation for efforts to gain freedom from the colonial rule, member of Kikuyu, Embu, Meru and Kamba community took oath of unity and secrecy leading to the formation of MauMau movement. In 1952, the colonial government declared a state of emergency.

Jomokenyatta who was later to become the 1st president of Kenya and other freedom fighters were charged with organizing the MauMau movement. Kenyatta was arrested and sentenced for seven-year imprisonment in Kapenguria. Local communities especially in the central highland were put into concentrations camps. The camps were surrounded by barbed wire fence and deep trenches aimed at cutting communication ties with Members of the MauMau group led by Dedan Kimathi. It is estimated that about 13,000 Kenyans and about 100 white settlers were killed by 1956.

Independence & Post Independence

In 1957 African members were elected to the Legislative Council through a direct election. 1959 saw the release of Kenyatta from detention in Kapenguria. Kenyatta continued with campaign for freedom while under house arrest. In 1960, the colonial government announced plans to transfer power to a democratically elected government. In 1962, the Lancaster constitution conference was held in London where the 1st Kenya constitution was made. Kenya achieved internal self-government on June 1st 1963. Kenya was declared a republic on December 12th 1963 with Jomo Kenyatta as 1st the president. Kenyatta died in 1978 and Daniel Arap Moi took over.

In 1982, the Kenyan constitution was amended declaring the country a one party state. By late 80's and early 90's, campaign for multiparty system grew strong. The constitution was amended again in 1991 paving way for multiparty system. A general election was held in 1992 and Kanu party led by Moi won the election. Kanu also won the second election in the multiparty era in 1997. The National Rainbow Coalition defeated Kanu in the 2002 general election. Mwai kibaki was inaugurated as Kenya's third president on 30th December 2002.