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Post Independence: Status of Parliament Bicameralism
The composition to the Legislature and the framework of
the Government at Independence remained in place until the first
anniversary. Arising from close negotiations between the Government
and the Opposition, a merger of all the parties represented in the
House, under the Kenya African National Union - K.A.N.U. and under
the leadership of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was concluded and took effect
on December 12, 1964 with the voluntary dissolution of the Kenya
African Democratic Union - K.A.D.U. and the African Peoples Party
- A.P.P. This merger meant an unanticipated de facto one party status.
On December 12, 1964 , Kenya declared herself a Sovereign Republic
within the Commonwealth. Mzee Kenyatta become the first President,
heading a Cabinet of eighteen Ministers. December 12, has since been celebrated
as Jamhuri Day. The first Vice President, Mr. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, resigned
on April 14, 1966 and immediately formed an opposition party, the Kenya Peoples'
Union - K.P.U. This reintroduced a dejure multi-party status. The late Mr. Joseph
Anthony Zusarte Murumbi, hitherto, Minister for Foreign Affairs was appointed
the Vice President on May 03, 1966.
Unicameralism
At the end of 1966, upon positive debates publicly and in
the Legislature coupled with constitutional amendments, the Upper
House or the Senate and the Lower House or the House of Representatives
were amalgamated. The amalgamation resulted into a single Chamber
- the National Assembly. The erstwhile forty-one Senators were accommodated
by the creation of an additional seat in each of the forty-one administrative
districts, they had previously represented in the Senate. The twelve
Specially Elected Members in the House of Representatives continued
to serve in the same capacity, presumed to have been so elected by
the National Assembly sitting as an electoral college. Towards the
end of 1966, the second Vice President, the late Mr. Joseph Murumbi
resigned. On January 03, 1967 , H.E. the Hon. Daniel Toroitich arap
Moi, C.G.H., M.P., was appointed the Vice President.
The First Six Parliaments
The First Parliament of Independent Kenya, (1963-69) was dissolved on November
07, 1969 and General elections for the Second Parliament were held on January
06, 1970 . These were also the first general elections since resumption of Independence
. The results of the General elections were a landmark in the political history
of Kenya . They were held against the background of the proscription in August
1969 of the opposition party - the Kenya People's Union . Out of the elections,
came the first Kenyan female ever to be an elected Member of Parliament, the
former Hon. (Mrs.) Grace Akinyi Onyango to represent Kisumu Town . Priority,
Mrs. Onyango had made history in Local Authority politics, with her election
as the Mayor of Kisumu in 1965; which indeed, was the first time a female had
headed a local authority not only in Kenya but also in the whole of East Africa
. The second general elections were held on October 14, 1974 upon the dissolution
of the Second Parliament on September 08, 1974 . The Hon. (Mrs.) Onyango was
re-elected to represent Kisumu Town . Two additional female Members were elected,
Vis-à-vis: the former Dr. the Hon. (Mrs.) Julia Auma Ojiambo to represent
Busia Central and the former Hon. (Miss) Philomina Chelagat Mutai to represent
Eldoret North. Miss Mutai also became the youngest person ever elected to Parliament.
Dr. the Hon. (Mrs) Ojiambo, was appointed an Assistant Minister thus becoming
the first female to be elevated to Ministerial status in Kenya . The nomination
of the former Dr. the Hon. (Mrs.) Edah W. Gachukia and the late Mrs. Jemimah
Gecaga increased the number of female Members to five.
Nyayo Era
In the course of the Third Parliament, the first and founding President, His
Excellency Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, C.G.H., M.P. passed away at Mombasa on August
22, 1978 . This marked the end of a political era stretching back fifty-four
years when Mzee Kenyatta first ventured into the politics of the nationalist
movement as Secretary General of the Kikuyu Central Association. His Excellency,
the Hon. Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, C.G.H., M.P. the long serving Vice-President,
succeeded Mzee Kenyatta, thus becoming the second President of the Republic
of Kenya; heading a cabinet of twenty-two Ministers and thirty-one Assistant
Ministers. The Third Parliament was dissolved on September 20, 1979 and the
third general elections were held on November 08, 1979 . These were the first
general elections of the Nyayo Era. Nearly half of the sitting Members of the
Third Parliament lost. Among the highlights of these elections was the celebration
of ten years of continued service as Member for Kisumu Town by Mrs. Onyango.
Both Mrs. Onyango and Mrs. Ojiambo were re-elected. Mrs. Ojiambo was further
re-appointed an Assistant Minister. Also re-elected after some break in service
was Miss Mutai. Mrs. Phoebe Muga Asiyo made her debut as Member for Karachuonyo.
The other set of highlights were, the first election in post-independence era
of a Kenyan of European origin, the Hon. Philip Leakey to represent Lang'ata.
Hon. Leakey was subsequently appointed an Assistant Minister. Along with Hon.
Leakey was elected the late Hon. Krishan Chander Gautama, a Kenyan of Asian
origin, to represent Parklands. The Fourth Parliament set a landmark in the
political history by enacting the de jure one party status, on June 09, 1982
. By this constitutional amendment, the Kenya African National Union - K.A.N.U.
became the only legal political party in Kenya . The Fourth Parliament was dissolved
on July 22, 1983 and the fourth general elections were held on September 26,
1983 . The results of the general elections returned a drastic reduction in
the number of female Parliamentarians, from four to one. Only Mrs. Asiyo, Member
for Karachuonyo was re-elected. Mrs. Asiyo was later joined by two nominated
Members, Hon. (Mrs.) Rose Wairimu Waruhiu and Hon. (Mrs.) Grace Emily Akinyi
Ogot. The latter, did not serve through, but resigned afterwards and won the
Gem seat in a by-election, upon the death of Hon. Horace Willis Owiti Ongili.
The elections also saw the return of veteran politician Hon. Jackson Harvester
Angaine in Meru North-West; and the entry of the youthful Hon. Boy Juma Boy
in Kwale Central. The duo became respectively the oldest and the youngest Members
of the House. The Fifth Parliament was dissolved on February 05, 1988 and the
fifth general elections were held on March 21, 1988 . The fifth general elections
will go down in the annals of the political evolution of Parliamentarism in
Kenya, as the only election that were preceded by the preliminary nomination
process in the much publicized, Mlolongo or Queue voting process The Mlolongo
nomination process was added to the K.A.N.U. nomination process in 1986. The
fifth general elections also returned a bigger House of one hundred and eighty-eight
(188), which in addition to the twelve nominated Members and two ex-officio,
makes a total of two hundred and two Members (202). The Sixth Parliament was
therefore a larger body, whose composition was increased by thirty elected seats,
which is the first increase since the increase of 1966 to accommodate the Senators.
The sixth Parliament was dissolved on October 28, 1992 . The Governor was the
President of the Legislative Council and Presiding Officer from inception till
October 20, 1948 , when Governor Sir Philip E. Mitchell, appointed a Member
of the Council, retired judge, Mr. William K. Horne to preside at all future
sittings. Mr. Horne, in effect became the first Speaker of the Legislative Council.
However, governors remained the Presidents of the Council, while Mr. Horne,
and all his successors were styled as Vice President and Speaker of the Council.
Speaker Horne presided till 1955, when he was succeeded by Sir. Frederick Ferdinard
W. Caverndish - Bentinck who presided till October 25, 1960 . Sir Humphrey Slade
succeeded speaker Cavendish - Bentinck on October 13, 1960 whose tenure traversed
Independence to end on retirement with the commencement of the Second Parliament
on February 06, 1970 . As the Independence constitution had provision for a
bicameral or two Chamber Legislature, there emerged two Speakers and two Deputy
Speakers, thus Speaker Slade continued as Speaker of the House of Representatives
while Speaker Timothy Chitasi Muinga Chokwe, was elected to preside over the
Senate. The two Deputy Speakers were respectively Mr. Joseph Jeremiah Mwaniki
Nyagah, who retired from Parliament on October 28, 1992 . Mr. Nyagah was later
elevated to Ministerial Status and was replaced by Firtzeal Remedos Santana
De Souza, on June 07, 1963 ; and Senator John K. Kebaso. With the end of bicameralism
in 1966, the enlarged unicameral National Assembly was presided over by Speaker
Slade and Deputy Speaker Dr. the Hon. F.R.S. De Souza, till commencement of
the Second Parliament. The title of a linking Speaker, which Speaker Slade had
earned for having a tenure running from the Colonial Legislative Council to
the First Parliament of Independent Kenya, was laid to rest upon his retirement
on February 06, 1970 , being the first sitting day of he Second Parliament (1970-74).
He was appropriately succeeded by Mr. Speaker Frederick Mbiti Gideon Mati, who
had been ably inducted into speakership through the frequent relieve stints
he had served in the preceding Parliament. Speaker Mati an academician and exfreedom
fighter, had served as a Member of Legislative Council since 1961 and as Member
for Kitui North in the House of Representatives and the National Assembly, in
the period 1963 till election to Speakership on February 06, 1970 . As required
by the constitution, Speaker Mati, relinquished his seat upon assuming the office
of Speaker, to which he was re-elected unopposed by the subsequent four Parliaments
till retirement on April 12, 1988.Speaker Mati's tenure was served by four Deputy
Speakers. The Second Parliament had Dr. the Hon. Frederick Lawrence Munyua Waiyaki,
who served to the end and went on to serve in the Cabinet in the Third Parliament.
The Third Parliament began off with the late Mr. Jean Marie arap Seroney, whose
tenure was cut short by detention on October 15, 1975 . Mr. arap Seroney's election
is so far the second contested election, the first being that between former
Deputy Speaker de Souza and former Speaker Mati on June 07, 1963; at which the
former emerged victorious. However, Mr. Arap Seroney is so far the first and
the only Deputy Speaker to have had his tenure cut short by detention. Mr. arap
Seroney's detention is widely believed to have been linked to a contentious
ruling he had given on an allegation made by the then Member for Butere, the
Hon. Joseph Martin Shikuku, on the status of the ruling party K.A.N.U. Shikuku
was detained at the same time. Mr. James Kabingu Muregi, who served till the
first sitting of the Fourth Parliament on March 05, 1980 , succeeded him.
The Deputy Speaker of the Fourth Parliament was Mr. Moses Kiprono
arap Keino. Mr. arap Keino's tenure was cut short by his resignation
on June 20, 1983 . The resignation of Mr. arap Keino arose out of
a contentious ruling he had made a few days earlier barring the then
Member for Lurambi South the Hon. Wasike Ndombi from moving an Adjournment
motion pursuant to provisions of Standing Order 20. His resignation
forestalled the debate on a no Confidence Motion in him to have been
moved by the Member for Bungoma South, the Hon. L. S. Sifuna. No
successor was elected as the dissolution of the Fourth Parliamentcame
on July 22, 1983 , paving way for snap general elections on September
26 1983 . The Fifth Parliament was all through served by one Deputy
Speaker Mr Samuel Kibiebei arap Ng'eny till the first sitting of
the Sixth Parliament on April 12, 1988.
By the time of retirement, Speaker Mati, had like his predecessor
earned the title of a linking Speaker, since his tenure over-saw
the smooth transition of the presidency from Ihe late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta
to Mzee arap Moi. He was succeeded by his one time deputy Speaker
the Hon. M.K. arap Keino. Mr. Speaker arap Keino assumed office on
the hindsight of a long parliamentary service stretching to the Second
Parliament and during which, he had served on several Standing and
ad hoc Select Committees; and both as Deputy Chief Whip and Deputy
Speaker. Elected unopposed on April 12, 1988, Mr. Speaker arap Keino,
served till resignation on May 12,1991 . Consequently, Mr. Speaker
arap Keino became the second Speaker so far to resign from the office
of Speaker of the National Assembly since October 1948; and the only
one since Independence . The second Speaker for the Sixth Parliament,
and the fourth Speaker of the Independent Parliament of Kenya,.Prof.
the Hon. Jonathan Kimetet arap Ng'eno E.G.H., M.P. was elected unopposed
on June 12, 1991. Mr. Speaker arap Ng'eno assumed office on the hindsight
of sound Parliamentary service covering both the Fourth and Fifth
Parliaments. Mr. Speaker arap Ng'eno, an academician of renown repute,
served in the Cabinet throughout his previous two terms in the House.
His final cabinet portfolio was as Minister for Commerce. The Sixth
Parliament was served by one Deputy Speaker, the Hon. Stephen Kalonzo
Musyoka, M.P. was in his second term of continuous service in the
House. Following the repeal of Section 2A of the Constitution by
Act No. 10 of 1999 on December 10, 1991 , the political system of
Kenya changed from a de jure one party to a de jure multiparty state.
As a result the Seventh Parliament (following the December 29, 1992
General Election) became the first multi-party Parliament and the
second since Independence on December 12, 1963 . The First Parliament,
June 07, 1963 to November 07, 1969 was de jure multi-party.
The seven parties represented in the Seventh Parliament, included,
the Kenya African National Union (KANU) which had majority membership
and was therefore the Ruling Party, under the leadership of President
Daniel T. arap Moi, CGH, M.P.; the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy
in Kenya (FORD-Kenya) which was the Official Opposition Party and
under the initial leadership of the late Hon. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga,
EGH, M.P. and later under the late Hon. Michael C.K. Wamalwa, M.P.;
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy - Asili (FORD-Asili) under
the Hon. Kenneth S.N. Matiba, EGH, M.P.; the Democratic Party (DP)
under the Hon. Mwai Kibaki, EGH, M.P.; the Kenya National Congress
(KNC) under the Hon. Gerald I. Ndwiga, M.P.; the Party for Independent
Candidates of Kenya (PICK) under Harun J. Mwau and the National Development
Party of Kenya (NDPK) under the Hon. Raila A. Odinga, M.P. By the
dissolution of the Seventh Parliament on November 10, 1997 , PICK
and KNC had ceased to be Parliamentary parties following respectively,
the nullification by an Election Petition Court of the election of
the solo Member and defection to KANU. Out of the two hundred and
two (202) Members of the Seventh Parliament, seven (7) were women.
Of the seven (7), three (3) were in KANU while the remaining four
(4) were in the Opposition as follows: DP had two; FORD-Kenya and
FORD-Asili had one each.
Some Notable Accomplishments
- For the first time in the history of Independent Kenya, a woman was appointed to the
- Cabinet, the Hon. Winfred Nyiva Mwendwa, M.P. (Kitui West). Mrs. Mwendwa held the portfolio of Culture and Social Services.
- She had previously served as a Member of Parliament in the Forth and SixthParliaments and was now serving her third term.
- The House witnessed various shifts in political alliances as some Members defected
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