The Kenya National Party (KNP) was a political party in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi ...

History

The KNP was established in July 1959 as a multiracial party consisting of African, Arab, European and Indian members of the Legislative Council, led by

Masinde Muliro Henry Pius Masinde Muliro (June 30, 1922 – August 14, 1992) was a Kenyan politician from the Bukusu sub-tribe of the larger Abaluhya people of western Kenya. He was one of the central figures in the shaping of the political landscape in Ke ...

.Robert M. Maxon & Thomas P. Ofcansky (2014) ''Historical Dictionary of Kenya'', Rowman & Littlefield, p169 Several prominent politicians joined the party, including

Daniel arap Moi Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ( ; 2 September 1924 – 4 February 2020) was a Kenyan politician who served as the second president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. He was the country's longest-serving president. Moi previously served as the third vice ...

Ronald Ngala Ronald Gideon Ngala (1923–1972) was a Kenyan politician who was the leader of the Kenya African Democratic Union political party from its creation in 1960 until its dissolution in 1964. Early career Ngala was born in 1922 at Gotani in Giri ...

and

Taaitta Toweett Dr. Elisha Kipyegon Taaitta Arap Toweett, also known as Taaitta Arap Toweett (c. May 1925 – 8 October 2007), was a scholar, writer, linguist and a Kenyan politician. Biography Towett was born in May 1925 at Tebesonik, near Litein, in Kis ...

.Maxon & Ofcansky, p170 Its members were opposed to the overbearing behaviour of

Tom Mboya Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya (15August 19305July 1969) was a Kenyan trade unionist, educator, Pan-Africanist, author, independence activist, and statesman. He was one of the founding fathers of the Republic of Kenya.Kenya Human Rights Commissio ...

, who set up the Kenya Independence Movement (KIM) in response to the KNP's formation. However, by November 1959 the party was no longer multiracial, and by the end of the year, had joined with the KIM to present a united front at the Lancaster House Conference. After the conference the KNP was briefly relaunched as the Kenya African People's Party (KAPP) before merging with several other parties in June 1960 to form the

Kenya African Democratic Union The Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) was a political party in Kenya. It was founded in 1960 when several leading politicians refused to join Jomo Kenyatta's Kenya African National Union (KANU). It was led by Ronald Ngala who was joined b ...

, whilst the KIM merged into the rival

Kenya African National Union The Kenya African National Union (KANU) is a Kenyan political party that ruled for nearly 40 years after Kenya's independence from British colonial rule in 1963 until its electoral loss in 2002. It was known as Kenya African Union (KAU) from 19 ...

References

Defunct political parties in Kenya 1959 establishments in Kenya Political parties established in 1959 {{Kenya-party-stub