Kenya African National Union

The Kenya African National Union, better known as KANU, ruled Kenya for nearly 40 years after its independence from British colonial rule in 1963, until its electoral loss at the end of 2002. It was known as Kenya African Union before it was renamed in 1960.

Origins and Kenyatta

From October 1952 to December 1959, Kenya was under a state of emergency arising from the "Mau Mau" rebellion against British colonial rule. During this period, African participation in the political process increased rapidly.The first direct elections for Africans to the Legislative Council took place in 1957.

The Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) was founded in 1960, to challenge KANU. KADU's aim was to defend the interests of the tribes so-called KAMATUSA (an acronym for Kalenjin, Maasai, Turkana and Samburu), against the dominance of the larger Luo (Kenya) and Kĩkũyũ tribes that comprised the majority of KANU's membership (Kenyatta himself being a Kĩkũyũ). KADU pressed for a federal constitution, while KANU was in favour of centralism. The advantage lay with the numerically stronger KANU, and the British government was finally forced to remove all provisions of a federal nature from the constitution.

Kenya became independent on December 12, 1963, and the next year became a republic within the Commonwealth. Jomo Kenyatta, a member of the predominant Kĩkũyũ tribe and head of the Kenya African National Union, became Kenya's first president.KADU dissolved itself voluntarily in 1964 and joined KANU.

A small but significant leftist opposition party, the Kenya People's Union (KPU), was formed in 1966, led by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, a former vice president and Luo elder. The KPU was banned and its leader detained after political unrest related to Kenyatta's visit to Nyanza Province. No new opposition parties were formed after 1969, and KANU became the sole political party. At Kenyatta's death in August 1978, Vice President Daniel arap Moi, a former KADU member became interim President. On October 14, Moi became President formally after he was elected head of KANU and designated its sole nominee.

One-Party State and return to Democracy

In June 1982, the National Assembly amended the constitution, making Kenya officially a one-party state, and parliamentary elections were held in September 1983. The 1988 elections reinforced the one-party system. However, in December 1991, parliament repealed the one-party section of the constitution. By early 1992, several new parties had formed, and multiparty elections were held in December 1992.

President Moi was reelected for another 5-year term. Opposition parties won about 45% of the parliamentary seats, but President Moi's KANU Party obtained the majority of seats. Parliamentary reforms in November 1997 enlarged the democratic space in Kenya, including the expansion of political parties from 11 to 26. President Moi won re-election as President in the December 1997 elections, and his KANU Party narrowly retained its parliamentary majority, with 109 out of 212 seats.

2002 Elections

At the last legislative national elections held December 27, 2002, the party won an overall 29.0 % of the popular vote and 64 out of 212 elected seats. In the presidential elections [ [http://www.electionguide.org/resultsum/kenya_pres02.htm 2002 election results] ] of the same day, the party's candidate Uhuru Kenyatta won 31.3% of the vote, and was thereby defeated by Mwai Kibaki from the NARC party with 62.2%. On December 29, 2002, the Kenyan electoral commission confirmed that the former opposition National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) party had achieved a landslide victory over the ruling KANU party, thus bringing to an end 40 years of single party rule and 24 years of rule by Daniel arap Moi.

Post 2002

Subsequently, the Party split into two factions. The larger one, headed by Uhuru Kenyatta, is now in an opposition coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party of Kenya, in a coalition called the ODM-Kenya. The smaller faction, headed by Nicholas Biwott and supported by Daniel arap Moi is opposed to the direction Kenyatta is taking the party.

Uhuru Kenyatta and Moi in 2007

In September 2007, Kenyatta announced that he would not run for the presidency and would support Kibaki's re-election, [Carol Gakii, [http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=44962 "Uhuru pulls out of the presidential race"] , Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, September 13, 2007.] sinking any hopes that KANU would back the Orange Democratic Movement. Following William Ruto's application for the ODM presidential candidacy, it was widely expected that Uhuru would follow suit. Of particular interest is that Uhuru's statement came soon after Moi's declaration that he would back current president Kibaki's re-election bid.

KANU is part of the Party of National Unity (PNU), a coalition party behind Kibaki. However, unlike other PNU member parties, KANU will field own parliamentary and civic candidates [The Standard, October 11, 2007: [http://eastandard.net/news/?id=1143975837 PNU agrees on joint nominations] ] .

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2612427.stm BBC report of KANU defeat]