The Rise of a Party-State in Kenya: From Harambee! to Nyayo!University of California Press, 2023 M04 28 - 308 pages Although Kenya is often considered an African success story, its political climate became increasingly repressive under its second president, Daniel arap Moi. Widner charts the transformation of the Kenya African National Union (KANU) from a weak, loosely organized political party under Jomo Kenyatta into an arm of the president's office, with "watchdog" youth wings and strong surveillance and control functions, under Moi. She suggests that single-party systems have an inherent tendency to become "party-states," or single-party regimes in which the head of state uses the party as a means of control. The speed and extent of these changes depend on the countervailing power of independent interest groups, such as business associations, farmers, or professionals. Widner's study offers important insights into the dynamics of party systems in Africa. Although Kenya is often considered an African success story, its political climate became increasingly repressive under its second president, Daniel arap Moi. Widner charts the transformation of the Kenya African National Union (KANU) from a weak, loosely |
Other editions - View all
The Rise of a Party-State in Kenya: From Harambee! to Nyayo! Jennifer A. Widner Limited preview - 2023 |
The Rise of a Party-State in Kenya: From Harambee! to Nyayo! Jennifer A. Widner Limited preview - 2023 |
The Rise of a Party-state in Kenya: From "Harambee" to "Nyayo!" Jennifer A. Widner No preview available - 1992 |
Common terms and phrases
ability activities areas assistant minister association authoritarian bargaining base cabinet candidates Central Province changes Charles Njonjo Charles Rubia civil servants civil service coalition competition constituency Côte d'Ivoire country's created Daily Nation Daniel arap Moi debate District economic efforts elections electoral ethnic welfare societies faction farmers foreign functions GEMA Gichuru groups harambee harambee meetings independence interests J. M. Kariuki KADU Kalenjin Kanja KANU Kenya People's Union Kenyan political Kenyatta Kiambu Kibaki Kikuyu land leaders limited Luo Union Martin Shikuku Matiba Mau Mau members of Parliament ment Moi government Moi's multi-party Mungai Mwangale Nairobi Nakuru Nyayo Nyeri Odinga Office opposition parties organization parliamentary participation party-state period political party political space politicians populist positions president's Press restrictions Rift Valley role rules sector secure Seroney Shikuku single-party system social strategy sub-Saharan tion vice president votes Weekly Review youth wing Zaire