On December 12, 1963, Kenya achieved independence from Britain, marking a historic moment of liberation from colonial rule. This triumph constituted the end of colonial supremacy in Kenya; however, the battles for democracy and union were just about to start.
The start of colonization in Kenya began in 1895, when Britain established its first protectorate in East Africa. By 1920, the region had formally become a British colony, with governance rights reserved exclusively for white settlers, excluding Africans and Asians from political participation.
In 1942, members of four Kenyan communities united in a covert operation aimed at overthrowing British colonialism. These efforts led to the birth of a movement known as the Mau Mau, which was a struggle to reclaim one’s rights or rather to be free. The movement’s efforts bore fruit in 1957 when Africans won election to the Legislative Council for the first time.
In 1962, widespread public agitation resulted in the freeing of Jomo Kenyatta, the head of the independence struggle, after nine years in jail. He became the first prime minister of Kenya and the following year, Kanya became a nation. By 1964, the country was declared a Republic, with Kenyatta as president.
Despite gaining independence, there were still formidable obstacles that were ingrained in the ethnic diversity of Kenya. With more than 40 ethnic groups, no single group constitutes a majority in the country, making ethnicity a focal point in politics. Presidential candidates often draw support from larger communities, and three of Kenya’s five presidents have come from the Kikuyu community, while two have been from the Kalenjin group. Successive governments have occasionally cemented these administrative divisions along ethnic lines, further polarizing the unity of the people.
Furthermore, Kenya has also grappled with issues such as governance, corruption, and unequal distribution of its economic wealth. Public procurement scandals, mismanagement of funds, and financial impropriety at times tainted the development projects in the country, underlining the need for transparency and accountability.
Kenya’s story, however, is also one of resilience and shared inspiration. The determination and courage of the Mau Mau movement influenced anti-colonial struggles across Africa, including Nelson Mandela’s fight against apartheid in South Africa. Mandela credited Kenya’s liberation fighters as a source of inspiration for his decision to form Umkhonto we Sizwe, the African National Congress’s armed wing. Both Kenyatta and Mandela began with nonviolent resistance but resorted to armed struggle when faced with entrenched oppression. Despite imprisonment, both leaders emerged as symbols of reconciliation and hope, forgiving their former adversaries to focus on building their nations.
Though separated by decades, the legacies left by Mandela and Kenyatta remain tied in one common bond-freedom and equality. As the world mourned the passing of Mandela, Kenyans remembered their founding father and how shared struggles birthed two nations. As aptly put by historian Professor Munene, "Both leaders were symbols of their nations' liberation struggles, and Mandela often acknowledged the profound lessons he and his comrades learned from the Kenyan freedom fighters."
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