Kenya People's Union
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The Kenya People's Union (KPU) was a
socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
political party in
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
led by Oginga Odinga. The party was banned in 1969.


History


Formation

In March 1966 a left-wing faction of the governing
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 ...
(KANU) instigated a mass defection from the party and formed the KPU. KANU responded by amending Kenya's constitution to force a ' little general election' in June 1966. All MPs who defected to the KPU were nominated by the party to contest their seats. The KPU had wide support in the country with most districts having a KPU MP, although they were strongest amongst the
Luo people The Luo are a Nilotic peoples, Nilotic-speaking ethnic group native to Nyanza Province, western Kenya and the Mara Region of northern Tanzania. The Luo are the fourth-largest ethnic group (10.65%) in Kenya, after the Kikuyu people, Kikuyu (1 ...
in Nyanza province. Candidates in then Kikuyu-dominated Central province were trounced by KANU.Abner Cohen
Urban Ethnicity
Routledge, 2004.


Harassment

The state, dominated by the KANU party, employed many tactics to disrupt the KPU.Local employers were pressured into dismissing any staff who supported the KPU. This led to the dismissal of over 35 civil servants with others demoted. Additionally, passports were seized for KPU members so as to stop their international travel whilst also forcing companies to dismiss any KPU supporting employees. Three years of political harassment and detention of party leaders followed that ultimately brought about the end of the party. The New Nyanza General Hospital was opened on October 25, 1969 which the president Jomo Kenyatta was not excited about as it was built with
Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
money and seen as Odinga's project. Kenyatta did, however, lead the opening ceremonies of the hospital to boost his popularity in
Nyanza Province Nyanza Province (; ) was one of Kenya's eight administrative provinces before the formation of the 47 counties under the 2010 constitution. Six counties were organised in the area of the former province. The region is located in the southwes ...
. The Luo's were generally hostile towards as Tom Mboya had been murdered few months earlier, with many fingers pointing at Kenyatta. Riots opened at the opening ceremonies, when KPU supporters attacked Kenyatta's entourage. What followed is now often referred to as the Kisumu massacre. Over 10 people were killed, by official accounts, as Kenyatta's security personnel opened a fire against the demonstrators. Odinga and several other KPU officials were arrested two days after the incident.


Dissolution

Oginga Odinga was placed under house arrest on 29 October 1969, after violent anti-government demonstrations in Kisumu. His arrest, as well as other KPU MPs and officials, led to the storming of the Kenyan embassy in Moscow by Kenyan students. The KPU was banned on October 30, 1969, claiming that the KPU and all its branches were "dangerous to the good government of the Republic of Kenya" and that the KPU had become "more subversive both in its nature and in its objectives". This action transformed Kenya into a de facto one-party state.Daily Nation, October 23, 2009
The incident that transformed Kenya into a de facto one-party state


KPU politicians

The following politicians were affiliated with KPU. In the parenthesis is the constituency they represented.Center for Multiparty Democracy
Politics and Parliamentarians in Kenya 1944–2007
* Ochola Ogaye Mak'Anyengo * Okuto Bala ( Nyando) * Ondiek Chilo ( Nyakach) * Bildad Kaggia ( Kandara) * Luke Rarieya Obok ( Alego) * John Odero-Sar ( Ugenya) * Oginga Odinga ( Bondo) * Tom Okello-Odongo ( Kisumu Rural) * George Fredrick Oduya ( Elgon West) * Achieng Oneko ( Nakuru Town) * Joseph Mwasia Nthula ( Iveti South) * Wasonga Sijeyo ( Gem)


References

{{Authority control Defunct political parties in Kenya Political parties established in 1966 Socialism in Kenya Socialist parties in Africa Political parties disestablished in 1969 1966 establishments in Kenya 1969 disestablishments in Kenya