GHC Lecture For Gideon Moi From Sen Murkomen:
MOI NEVER FOUNDED KANU AND KALENJINS DON’T OWN IT
By Senator Murkomen Kipchumba (URP) via Facebook.
Some people have been going round peddling rumors and falsehood that Kalenjins own the Kenya African National Union (KANU) and that Moi founded it. Thank God we went to school and we know the truth. KANU was formed on May 14th 1960 as a conglomeration of the three major political parties at that time, that is Jomo Kenyatta’s Kenya Africa Union(KAU), Tom Mboya’s National People’s Convention Party(NPCP), and Kenya Independence Movement(KIM) of Oginga Odinga and Dr. Kiano.
Kenyatta was elected President of KANU while still in prison and his seat was filled by James Gichuru, who became its first President. Kenyatta was released in 1961 and took over KANU’s Presidency from Gichuru. So the founding fathers of KANU were Jomo Kenyatta, Tom Mboya and Oginga Odinga.
As a result of the strong movement initiated by KANU the leaders of smaller and weaker communities supported by the threatened colonial government formed Kenya African Democratic Union(KADU). The Major aim of KADU was to protect the interest of the coastal tribes, the Abaluyha, the Kalenjins and smaller tribes at that time such as the Maasai, Turkana and Samburu against the then dominant Luos and Kikuyus. KADU preferred the majimbo system with a weak central government while KANU preferred a strong centralized system. The Founding members of KADU were Ronald Ngala, Daniel Arap Moi and Masinde Muliro.
At independence KANU trounced KADU by winning 83 seats against KADU with 41.
KADU joined the opposition and KANU formed government. In 1964 Ronald Ngala, Daniel Arap Moi and Masinde Muliro dissolved KADU and joined KANU and appointed to serve in the Cabinet under Mzee Kenyatta. Moi benefiting from Jomo’s Party and served for 24 years until he left power together with KANU.
Uhuru Kenyatta (now President Uhuru Kenyatta) tried everything for ten years to ascend to power through KANU and it was too late. He abandoned a Party founded by his father to form TNA which teamed up with URP founded by William Ruto to form Jubilee Coalition and the rest is history as you know it.
KEY LESSONS
1. Moi left KADU to join KANU a party founded by other people. There is nothing wrong for William Ruto to leave URP a Party he founded to JAP a party they co-founded with President Uhuru Kenyatta
2. There is nothing Kalenjin in KANU. If anything most Kalenjin people joined ODM and later URP because of the faith they have in William Ruto.
3. The history of Kenyan politics from before independence has been that of change of parties. Permanent interests but changing political vehicles.
4. My humble opinion KANU will never produce a President again. Whereas it had wonderful independence story, post-independence experience ruined KANU permanently and no amount of “newness†or “freshness†will save it. The last President of Kenya under KANU is President Daniel Arap Moi
Next time someone tells you KANU is ours (nenyo KANU), tell them we rented it for 24 years.
Now you know the truth and the truth will set you free!
OKM
For lack of something else to do, Murkomen is also a dedicated Ruto blogger.
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