Ask, 'what was the driving force behind multipartysim'? The answer is the same for all historical change...

I really wanted this topic to die but not before I put in a last word. Let me offer a few history lessons

1. There was something called Feudalism a system of "haves" and "have nots" which was the foundation of Europe. You had lords, then you had serfs(peasants). It worked by making small part of the population rich to own the land and the other part poor to provide labour

2. When Feudalism existed serfs suffered immensely and together with the persecuted in Europe decided to start a new life in America. The British obviously wanted to retain the feudalism in America which is the reason why they fought for independence. That's what Americans call american values and why they value freedom.

3. When the British came to Kenya the Kikuyus had some form of feudalism where land was owned by the clan (mbari) and there were some serfs (Ahoi-landless). The settlers who came to kenya were mostly upper class British and they wanted to establish a feudal system. They achieved it by enacting the 1915 Crown Lands Ordinance where the governor dished out land in the white highlands.

4. The entire aim of the white settlers was to establish a self governing colony based on feudalism. The mau mau struggle was a struggle against feudalism even within kikuyu community (Squatters and the Roots of Mau Mau, 1905-63)

5. The Swynerton plan ensured the place of quasi-feudalism and those who lost ended up in alcoholism. Ever wondered why the Scots, the Aborigines and the Native Americans(Red Indians) have alcohol addiction problems and also gambling addition? Never extinguish the flame of self-determination

6. The second liberation was about dismantling the quasi-feudal state that existed after the Brits left and the realization that kenya needed to be governed by laws where everyone was equal and governed by institutions. The idealists thought kenya would end up like USA where it doesn't depend on who you know but how hard you worked.

7. Did the second liberation work? No it didn't it was hijacked somewhere we ended up with constitutional dispensation where we institutionalized feudalism through the creation of county governments. Corruption and public appointments is also one of the way to keep feudalism alive.

8. Have I benefited from the feudal state? The struggle continues...

actually if you really thought about it Kenya was fine (most of kenya really) with Single party politics until the mlolongo fiasco in 1988, the fallout from that setup kenya for multiparty democracy. prior to 1988 - even the Americans were happy to have strong men in charge. Democracy was never an issue, government spending was never an issue, theft and stashing was never an issue as long as USSR was there but after USSR started falling and we (our strongmen could not have places to go to since US did not support our economies that well after that) had to change. Remember Smith Hempstone? appointed in 1989? Economically Structural Adjustment programs kicked in in the 90s. The Goldenberg scam? 1991! when Kenya was running low on foreign currency (so called hard currency) for imports and akina IMF were not playing ball and thus schemes like these got an ear to listen to. My point? sometimes we get focused on micro happenings but really there may be some larger pieces moving at a macro scale that actually make the changes we see permanent.

@wukan, so beggars found themselves with some power, having traveled to distant lands as fighters. There they realized that all humans are the same, and generally classes emerge because of the ability to use force and dominate.

And because the fighters could now organize an army, could make guns, then they too could have a piece of the cake held by the elites.

Meanwhile a new group of elites was coming; educated Africans who'd been to Europe and America. They found an opening in the fighters and they make an alliance with the obvious promise that the fighters would be rewarded with the objects of their aspirations.

They joined forces and made a convincing case that independence was viable and necessary. The colonialists were satisfied and they granted independence. Politicians got they had wanted, but granting the fighter's wishes was taboo because one wasn't to upset the world order.

But still, the support of the masses was necessary and to mollify them, history was crafted to make it appear that the fighters were heroes. But who cared? Who cares?

The maumau story is a delusion. It's a fiasco in all ways. Dedan isn't my hero, but I congratulate him for daring the impossible.

Keyboard warrior.