KENYA SADC Special Report Special Report A decade of revolution


Though hardly spoken of, the last decade has seen Kenya undergo revolutionary changes that many countries in the world have not been able to accommodate in such a short time. Indeed, the country’s rapid advancement between 2002–2012 will provide excellent fodder for historians in the years to come. Articles in this Special Report are by our Nairobi correspondent Wanjohi Kaburu.


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t all began in 2002 when Kenyans elected President Mwai Kibaki to replace President Daniel arap Moi after 24 years in power. This was the first change that ushered in an era of greater freedoms.


The second phase of Kenya’s rapid socio- economic and political transformation came in 2005 when Kenya effectively adopted the “Look East Policy”, through which Kenya opened its doors to welcome the Asian Tigers as critical allies for the


55 | April 2011 New African


country’s development trajectory. In 2007-2008 the third wave took


place. This was when a botched-up election exposed the entire Kenyan political elite to the dangers of neglecting the masses. By agreeing to a political settlement after the skirmishes of 2007- 2008 the Kenyan political class in effect signaled the beginning of groundbreaking reforms aimed at leveraging equity, and dismantling rogue politics and economic


marginalisation. As the political resolution that established the Grand Coalition Government was being fine-tuned, critics heavily lambasted this governance system but few alternatives were proposed. The significance of this third alteration in Kenya’s politics brought in the politics of inclusivity and accommodation in favour of the hitherto “winner-takes-all” brand of governance, which was perceived to breed exclusive politics at the expense


New African April 2011 | 55


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