George Anyona
Encyclopedia
George Moseti Anyona was a politician from Kenya
.
He not only coined a niche for himself as a fiercely independent thinker, but quite an unpredictable one too. There's no telling what Anyona might be up to, until it actually happens. When he was released from prison in 1992, for example, most people concluded he would join Ford-Kenya, then under his good friend and mentor, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
. But Anyona opted to go solo and formed his own political party
, the Kenya Social Congress (KSC), which he later used to vie for the presidency of Kenya. There was nothing unpredictable however about the outcome of Anyona's 1992 presidential bid. Though he easily won a seat in Parliament
as had been anticipated, his Kitutu Masaba constituents squarely rejected his bid for the presidency, opting for other candidates instead. Anyona's name however remains dominant among Kenya's political personalities
because he is perceived by a large section of Kenyans as a brave man, who was strong enough to challenge the KANU
government at a time when it was almost suicidal to do so. Others enjoying a similar reputation include the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, his son Raila Odinga
, Martin Shikuku, Kenneth Matiba
, just to mention but a few.
.
He attended Tombe Primary School and Sengera Intermediate School before proceeding to the prestigious Alliance High School. From Alliance, he proceeded to Makerere University
, Uganda
where he studied Political Science
, English
, Economics
and History
. Before he ventured into politics in 1974, he worked for British Airways
in Nairobi
.
, he won the then Kitutu East Parliamentary seat
. Anyona's political troubles began in 1977 when he was detained without trial by then President Jomo Kenyatta
. He was released a year later by President Daniel arap Moi
soon after he assumed power following the death of President Kenyatta. Anyona would again land in trouble in 1982, this time with his long time friend and veteran politician Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
. The two were arrested and detained without trial for attempting to form a political party Kenya African Socialist Alliance (KASA) to challenge the ruling party KANU. Shortly after they were detained, KANU sensed the danger the two politicians had exposed and immediately sought to seal the loopholes in the constitution
. The result was the passing of a constitutional amendment making Kenya a de facto
single-party state
the same year.
Anyona was released from detention in 1984 and for the rest of the 1980s shyed away from active politics. His much awaited political comeback came in 1990 during the clamour for Multi-Party democracy
in Kenya
. To many Kenyans, this was one battle Anyona and Jaramogi could not shy away from because they were the ones who started it in 1982. Shortly after he re-entered Kenyan politics in 1990, Anyona was again arrested at a Nairobi pub and charged with sedition
. Others arrested with him included Professor Edward Oyugi, Isiah Ngotho Kariuki, and Augustus Njeru Kathangu. After a marathon trial, they were jailed for seven years on charges of scheming to overthrow the Kenyan government and being in possession of seditious and proscribed publications. According to some documents presented in the trial, it was alleged that Anyona had gone as far as preparing a shadow cabinet to take over after he overthrew the government. However, it was later revealed by an Assistant Minister in the Office of the President, John Keen, that these allegations were nothing but government fabrications, aimed at silencing Anyona. In 1992, after filing appeals against their sentences, the four were released on bail. Shortly after that they were freed when the state opted not to oppose their appeals.
had their eyes set on him, desperately hoping he would give them his much needed endorsement. FORD-Kenya in particular, then under Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
was seen as Anyona's perfect destination. As a matter of fact, he was elected the FORD-Kenya Nyamira District Branch Chairman in absentia
. In a surprising move however, Anyona rejected FORD-Kenya's overtures, opting instead to launch his own political party Kenya Social Congress, and vying for the Presidency. In the 1992 Multi-Party General Elections, he won easily the Kitutu Masaba Constituency
parliamentary seat, becoming the only member of parliament from the KSC. Though his constituents expressed eagerness to send Anyona to parliament they were not nearly as eager to vote for him as a Presidential candidate. But President or not, Anyona remained a major political player in Kenya and his selfless service to the nation will forever be appreciated.
Anyona died in 2003 in a car crash in the outskirts of Nairobi
.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
He not only coined a niche for himself as a fiercely independent thinker, but quite an unpredictable one too. There's no telling what Anyona might be up to, until it actually happens. When he was released from prison in 1992, for example, most people concluded he would join Ford-Kenya, then under his good friend and mentor, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga was a Luo Chief, who became a prominent figure in Kenya's struggle for independence. He later served as Kenya's first Vice-President, and thereafter as opposition leader...
. But Anyona opted to go solo and formed his own political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
, the Kenya Social Congress (KSC), which he later used to vie for the presidency of Kenya. There was nothing unpredictable however about the outcome of Anyona's 1992 presidential bid. Though he easily won a seat in Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
as had been anticipated, his Kitutu Masaba constituents squarely rejected his bid for the presidency, opting for other candidates instead. Anyona's name however remains dominant among Kenya's political personalities
Politics of Kenya
The Politics of Kenya take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Kenya is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Recent constitutional amendments have enabled sharing of executive powers between the...
because he is perceived by a large section of Kenyans as a brave man, who was strong enough to challenge the KANU
Kenya African National Union
The Kenya African National Union, better known as KANU is a political party which ruled Kenya for nearly 40 years after its independence from British colonial rule in 1963, until its electoral loss at the end of 2002...
government at a time when it was almost suicidal to do so. Others enjoying a similar reputation include the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, his son Raila Odinga
Raila Odinga
Raila Amollo Odinga , also popularly known to Kenyans as Agwambo, is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as the Prime Minister of Kenya in a coalition government. He has served as a Member of Parliament for Langata since 1992, was Minister of Energy from 2001 to 2002, and was Minister of Roads,...
, Martin Shikuku, Kenneth Matiba
Kenneth Matiba
Kenneth Matiba is a Kenyan politician. He was the second-place candidate in the 1992 presidential election.Matiba became a senior civil servant at a young age of 31...
, just to mention but a few.
Early life
Anyona was born in 1945 in Tombe Village, Kitutu Masaba, KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
He attended Tombe Primary School and Sengera Intermediate School before proceeding to the prestigious Alliance High School. From Alliance, he proceeded to Makerere University
Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
where he studied Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
. Before he ventured into politics in 1974, he worked for British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
.
Rise to politics
The same year he ventured into politicsPolitics of Kenya
The Politics of Kenya take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Kenya is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Recent constitutional amendments have enabled sharing of executive powers between the...
, he won the then Kitutu East Parliamentary seat
Constituencies of Kenya
Constituencies of Kenya are used to select members of the Kenyan parliament. Currently there are 210 constituencies in Kenya. However, following the promulgation of the new constitution, the number of constituencies are to be increased to 290...
. Anyona's political troubles began in 1977 when he was detained without trial by then President Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyattapron.] served as the first Prime Minister and President of Kenya. He is considered the founding father of the Kenyan nation....
. He was released a year later by President Daniel arap Moi
Daniel arap Moi
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was the President of Kenya from 1978 until 2002.Daniel arap Moi is popularly known to Kenyans as 'Nyayo', a Swahili word for 'footsteps'...
soon after he assumed power following the death of President Kenyatta. Anyona would again land in trouble in 1982, this time with his long time friend and veteran politician Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga was a Luo Chief, who became a prominent figure in Kenya's struggle for independence. He later served as Kenya's first Vice-President, and thereafter as opposition leader...
. The two were arrested and detained without trial for attempting to form a political party Kenya African Socialist Alliance (KASA) to challenge the ruling party KANU. Shortly after they were detained, KANU sensed the danger the two politicians had exposed and immediately sought to seal the loopholes in the constitution
Constitution of Kenya
The 1963 Constitution of Kenya was drawn up at independence. This constitution, heavily indebted to English law, had already been amended more than 30 times by 2010, but was widely agreed to require a major overhaul...
. The result was the passing of a constitutional amendment making Kenya a de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
single-party state
Single-party state
A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
the same year.
Anyona was released from detention in 1984 and for the rest of the 1980s shyed away from active politics. His much awaited political comeback came in 1990 during the clamour for Multi-Party democracy
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. To many Kenyans, this was one battle Anyona and Jaramogi could not shy away from because they were the ones who started it in 1982. Shortly after he re-entered Kenyan politics in 1990, Anyona was again arrested at a Nairobi pub and charged with sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
. Others arrested with him included Professor Edward Oyugi, Isiah Ngotho Kariuki, and Augustus Njeru Kathangu. After a marathon trial, they were jailed for seven years on charges of scheming to overthrow the Kenyan government and being in possession of seditious and proscribed publications. According to some documents presented in the trial, it was alleged that Anyona had gone as far as preparing a shadow cabinet to take over after he overthrew the government. However, it was later revealed by an Assistant Minister in the Office of the President, John Keen, that these allegations were nothing but government fabrications, aimed at silencing Anyona. In 1992, after filing appeals against their sentences, the four were released on bail. Shortly after that they were freed when the state opted not to oppose their appeals.
Multiparty era
Anyona's freedom couldn't have come at a better time. With the Multi-Party elections coming up in December 1992, all opposition partiesOpposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
had their eyes set on him, desperately hoping he would give them his much needed endorsement. FORD-Kenya in particular, then under Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga was a Luo Chief, who became a prominent figure in Kenya's struggle for independence. He later served as Kenya's first Vice-President, and thereafter as opposition leader...
was seen as Anyona's perfect destination. As a matter of fact, he was elected the FORD-Kenya Nyamira District Branch Chairman in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
. In a surprising move however, Anyona rejected FORD-Kenya's overtures, opting instead to launch his own political party Kenya Social Congress, and vying for the Presidency. In the 1992 Multi-Party General Elections, he won easily the Kitutu Masaba Constituency
Kitutu Masaba Constituency
Kitutu Masaba is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of three constituencies of Nyamira District. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections.- Members of Parliament :- Wards :...
parliamentary seat, becoming the only member of parliament from the KSC. Though his constituents expressed eagerness to send Anyona to parliament they were not nearly as eager to vote for him as a Presidential candidate. But President or not, Anyona remained a major political player in Kenya and his selfless service to the nation will forever be appreciated.
Anyona died in 2003 in a car crash in the outskirts of Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
.
External links
- http://www.kisii.com/site/politics.htm
- http://kenyasocialist.org/kswsfiles/anyona_a_pioneer_socialist.htm