Kenya’s history and struggle for independence from British colonizers are woven into the fabric of Nairobi. The country was given a new start when Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, formally handed over power on December 12, 1963, thereafter, known as Jamhuri Day — “Jamhuri” being the Swahili word for “Republic.”

A look at key events since independence

•         Unity amidst diversity

At independence, Kenya boasted two major political parties, KANU and KADU, representing diverse ethnic groups. However, tribal tensions loomed. President Jomo Kenyatta’s strategic move to unite the parties showcased early efforts to curb tribalism. Despite this, tribal divisions resurfaced in subsequent years, particularly during power struggles between Kenyatta and Vice President Jaramogi Odinga.

•       Mysterious assassinations

The post-independence era saw the tragic loss of influential figures like Tom Mboya, JM Kariuki, Pio Gama Pinto, and Robert Ouko through mysterious assassinations. These events left an indelible mark on Kenyan history, prompting questions about political motives and the pursuit of justice.

•       Attempted coup of 1982

In August 1982, disgruntled soldiers attempted to overthrow President Daniel Arap Moi’s government. Although the coup failed, it had lasting implications. The incident led to heightened authoritarianism, with Moi banning multiparty democracy and consolidating power, marking a significant shift in the political landscape.

•   Death of multiparty democracy

The failed coup expedited President Moi’s push to ban multiparty democracy, leading to the introduction of Section 2(A) in 1982. The amendment stifled opposition voices, reinforcing Moi’s authoritarian rule. The government further amended the constitution to diminish oversight authorities.

•         Return of multiparty democracy

Global changes and pressure forced Moi to restore multiparty democracy on December 10, 1991, by repealing Article 2A. The winds of democracy, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, swept over Africa, marking what is often referred to as the ‘second liberation’ in Kenya.

•       2002 election and change of guard

The 2002 presidential election is hailed as one of Kenya’s most credible polls, signalling a change in leadership. Opposition unity, symbolized by Raila Odinga’s endorsement of Mwai Kibaki, led to the defeat of KANU and the end of Moi’s era.

•         2007/2008 Post-election violence

The 2007–2008 post-election violence, triggered by disputed results, resulted in tragedy. The chaos led to international mediation, culminating in a power-sharing agreement between Kibaki and Raila Odinga, emphasising the need for political reconciliation. A narrow but contested victory of incumbent Mwai Kibaki over Raila Odinga sparked violent clashes that left up to 1,500 people dead.

•       2010 Constitution

 The approval of the 2010 Constitution marked a transformative moment for Kenya. The new constitution introduced mechanisms for fair elections, including the Supreme Court’s role in addressing election disputes, preventing a repeat of the violence witnessed in 2007.

As we reflect on these historical moments, it becomes evident that Kenya’s journey to the present is characterised by resilience, political evolution, and a continuous quest for a more inclusive and just society. The 60th anniversary is not just a celebration but an opportunity to learn from the past and collectively shape a brighter future.

When Ruto’s policies caused prices to increase, many Kenyans took to the streets. The massive and sometimes violent protests were spurred by opposition leader Raila Odinga. The demonstrations have since ceased, but the economic hardship remains.

Africanization of the economy

The Kenyan post-independence economy can be traced back to 1965 through “Sessional Paper No. 10 of 1965 on African Socialism and its Application to Planning in Kenya” which was issued by Tom Mboya, the then Minister for Economic Planning and Development who was the second minister to hold the docket after James Gichuru in post-independence Kenya.

The paper which laid the foundations on which the Kenyan economy was built covered a period between 1964 and 1970 and sought to give locals more control over the economy which had been dominated by British settlers and Asians.

“Our entire approach has been dominated by a desire to ensure Africanization of the economy and the public service. Our task remains to try and achieve these two goals without doing harm to the economy itself and within the declared aims of our society,” President Jomo Kenyatta stated in the paper. The paper also sought to ensure the economy which was mainly centered on agriculture that produced raw materials which were exported to Europe became diverse.

Kenya as an economic giant

Though Kenya still experiences challenges, just like any other African country struggling to find its soul after years of colonization, the country has made remarkable progress when it comes to economic development. Since 1963, the country’s economy has expanded with sectors such as art and entertainment, manufacturing, information and technology, agriculture, trade, tourism, finance, transport, and construction playing a big part in job creation.

The country for instance boasts of a significantly larger population that has a form of financial access, thanks to mobile money which was introduced by Kenya’s largest mobile service provider, Safaricom in 2007. Mobile money has been a key facilitator of trade with 38 million subscriptions. Last year alone according to data by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the value of money transfers was Ksh 7.9 trillion.

In a span of six decades, the country has also invested heavily in power generation which has been critical in ensuring electricity access to homes as well as running large industries. The country generated 12,669.4 GWh of electricity as of last year with green sources such as geothermal and wind generation accounting for 5,517.5 GWh and 2,143.0 GWh, respectively. More than half of the installed capacity is now green energy.

Similarly, the country has invested billions of shillings to develop new infrastructure such as roads, rail, airports, and waterways in a bid to encourage domestic, regional, and international trade. The Ksh 450 billion Standard Gauge Railway running from Mombasa to Naivasha is the largest single infrastructure undertaken by the government to date.

The railway completed in 2019 has helped in faster haulage of cargo compared to the more than a century-old meter gauge railway line. It also reduced travel time between Mombasa and Nairobi to just four hours from eight hours by road. Last year, the volume of freight transported by SGR stood at 6,090,000 tonnes while the number of passengers using SGR reached 2,392,300.

Kenya also boasts of having the best road network in the region following years of both public and private investments. Statistics by the Kenya Roads Board indicate that out of an estimated 246,757km of road network in the country, out of which 101,209km is maintainable, around 18,000km is fully tarmacked. Major achievements in the roads sector include the Thika Superhighway, Nairobi Expressway, Southern Bypass, Western Bypass, and Nairobi-Isiolo-Moyale Highway just to name a few.

Other infrastructural achievements include the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport’s modernisation and the development of Mombasa International Airport, Kisumu International Airport and Eldoret Airport, which have also increased connectivity and boosted tourism in the country. The country has also invested heavily in developing Mombasa Port which is the gateway to the region, Lamu Port and Kisumu Port which continue to facilitate trade locally and regionally.

Additionally, the country has shored up its food production efforts in a bid to ensure it permanently deals with the perennial challenge of food scarcity which continues to affect a significant number of the population. According to the National Irrigations Board (NIB), the country could put an estimated 1.35 million acres under irrigation. However, only half a million acres have been developed.

Kenya has since constructed 209 irrigation projects across the country and rehabilitated public irrigation schemes among them, Mwea, Ahero, Bura, Galana-Kulalu, Pekerra, Tana, Bunyala, West Kano and Lower Kuja which have helped put 35,326 acres under crop cultivation. This has further been supported by the construction of multi-billion shillings dams among others, Kariminu II, Thiba, Siyoi, Ruiru II and Mwache. However, the country still struggles to expand employment opportunities. As of 2022, only 3.2 million Kenyans were in formal sector employment while the majority were self-employed or in informal sectors.

Conclusion

The dream of seeing the country rise from a middle-income economy to a high-income economy seems bright for both citizens and the ruling class. This is evident in the establishment of plans such as the Vision 2030 blueprint launched in 2008 by then-President Mwai Kibaki. Under the economic and macro pillar, the country has identified six priority sectors which are expected to help Kenya achieve a GDP growth rate of 10pc from the current 5.5pc by 2030. The sectors include tourism, agriculture and livestock, wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, financial services, business process offshoring and IT-enabled services. To achieve this and become the next Singapore, Kenya will need the political goodwill and people-centric leadership style of the late Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.