The purpose of this research is to examine the political and economic environment in Kenya. Kenya is widely regarded as an African example of a politically stable society, in which there is broad participation in an expanding economy. Critics contend, however, that the political environment is character ized by repressive tolerance, while the economy serves primar ily the better off members of society.
Kenya became an independent nation in December 1963.1 By African standards, Kenya's political environment has remained stable since independence. The country, however, permits only one legal political party the Kenya African National Union.2 The party became the vehicle through which legendary revolu tionary leader Jomo Kenyatta converted the Mau Mau led national resistance into a government.3
1J. Paxton, (Ed.), The Statesman's Year Book: 1989 1990, 126th ed. (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989), 772.
2S. J. Ungar, Africa: The People and Politics of An Emerging Continent (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1985), 165.
3D. Fogel, Africa in Struggle: National Liberation and Proletarian Revolution, 2nd ed. (San Francisco: Ism Press, 1986), 88.
The balance of power between competing interests within the one party framework has often been tenuous.4 As might be expected, political intrigue has always been rife within the system.5 Tom Mboya, leader of the Kenyan Federation of Labor, and widely thought to be the strongest contender to replace Kenyatta as president upon his retirement or death,6 was assassinated in 1969.7 Years later, it was learned that the assassin had been paid by another of the contenders to replace Kenyatta, Charles Njonjo, at that time, Kenya's Attorney General.8
In the early 1980s, discontent over the state of the economy, together with charges of governmental corruption, led to an abortive coup attempt by the country's air force.9 The government quickly crushed the attempted coup. While it lasted, ...