Majimbo
Encyclopedia
Majimbo is a Swahili
term that is commonly used in Kenya
to refer to the idea of political devolution
of power to the country's regions. It is alleged by critics, including former vice-president Oginga Odinga in his book Not Yet Uhuru, to have been coined by European settlers in Kenya's White Highlands
region, around the time of independence in 1963, who preferred to retain an autonomous, ethnically-based governance over the region.
politics between the Kikuyu and Luo under a Westminster system
would have been damaging for the other ethnic minorities in Kenya, including the European settlers and Asian residents. It became a part of the party platform for Ronald Ngala
's KADU
, which competed in the first post-independence elections against Jomo Kenyatta
's nationalist Kenya African National Union
party.
is alleged to have favoured the idea of majimbo for the regions. However, since the end of his government, he is known to have denounced the idea.
, under Raila Odinga
, and the ODM-K
, under Kalonzo Musyoka
, have also endorsed a plan of ethnoregional decentralization, as has the Shirikisho Party
, which is part of the Party of National Unity
.
Under Raila's majimbo plan, which follows the Bomas draft of the proposed constitution of 2004, the nation would be divided into 13 regions, which in turn would be divided into a number of districts. Each district will have an elected government, a budget and a parliament. The central government will be in charge of national institutions like armed forces, universities, national hospitals and highways.
The plan, however, has become a central point of opposition against Raila's and Musyoka's campaigns for the presidency, as it is seen by the PNU, and as it was seen by the KANU government of Kenyatta, as a threat to national unity and the return of ethnic violence to the country.
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
term that is commonly used 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 refer to the idea of political devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
of power to the country's regions. It is alleged by critics, including former vice-president Oginga Odinga in his book Not Yet Uhuru, to have been coined by European settlers in Kenya's White Highlands
White Highlands
The term White Highlands describes an area in the central uplands of Kenya, so-called because, during the period of British Colonialism, white immigrants settled there in considerable numbers. The main motivation was to take advantage of the good soils and growing conditions, as well as the cool...
region, around the time of independence in 1963, who preferred to retain an autonomous, ethnically-based governance over the region.
Independence-era
The original plan, as created by Wilfred Havelock, Michael Blundell, and R. S. Alexander, would have created three autonomous, self-governing regions (Rift Valley, Western and Coast) in Kenya, which would share governance of the country based upon the mandate of the regional governments. This way, The Kikuyu and Luo people would each receive their own majority-ethnic governments and would negotiate with each other and with the other region for the creation and execution of any law on the national level. This was assumed as reasonable because of the fear that tribalistTribalism
The social structure of a tribe can vary greatly from case to case, but, due to the small size of tribes, it is always a relatively simple role structure, with few significant social distinctions between individuals....
politics between the Kikuyu and Luo under a Westminster system
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
would have been damaging for the other ethnic minorities in Kenya, including the European settlers and Asian residents. It became a part of the party platform for Ronald Ngala
Ronald Ngala
Ronald Gideon Ngala was a Kenyan politician and statesman who was the leader of the Kenya African Democratic Union political party from its creation in 1960 until its dissolution in 1964.-Early Career:...
's KADU
Kenya African Democratic Union
The Kenya African Democratic Union was a political party in Kenya. It was founded in 1960 as an alternative to Jomo Kenyatta's Kenya African National Union . It was led by Ronald Ngala...
, which competed in the first post-independence elections against 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....
's nationalist Kenya African National Union
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...
party.
Moi-era and post-Moi usage
At one point during his presidency, Daniel arap MoiDaniel 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'...
is alleged to have favoured the idea of majimbo for the regions. However, since the end of his government, he is known to have denounced the idea.
2007 Election
Both the Orange Democratic MovementOrange Democratic Movement
Orange Democratic Movement refers to a political party in Kenya, which is the successor of a former grassroots people's movement which was formed in the 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum. The erstwhile single party which separated in August 2007 into two...
, under 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,...
, and the ODM-K
Orange Democratic Movement–Kenya
Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya refers to a political party in Kenya, which originated as a result of the 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum...
, under Kalonzo Musyoka
Kalonzo Musyoka
Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as Vice President of Kenya. Musyoka served in the government under President Daniel arap Moi and was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1993 until 1998; subsequently, under President Mwai Kibaki, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs...
, have also endorsed a plan of ethnoregional decentralization, as has the Shirikisho Party
Shirikisho Party of Kenya
The Shirikisho Party of Kenya is a political party in Kenya. . The party was formed in 1997 and had some political influence in the Coast Region...
, which is part of the Party of National Unity
Party of National Unity (Kenya)
Party of National Unity was founded as a political coalition of parties in Kenya. On September 16, 2007, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki announced the party formation and said that he would run as its presidential candidate in the December 2007 Kenyan elections...
.
Under Raila's majimbo plan, which follows the Bomas draft of the proposed constitution of 2004, the nation would be divided into 13 regions, which in turn would be divided into a number of districts. Each district will have an elected government, a budget and a parliament. The central government will be in charge of national institutions like armed forces, universities, national hospitals and highways.
The plan, however, has become a central point of opposition against Raila's and Musyoka's campaigns for the presidency, as it is seen by the PNU, and as it was seen by the KANU government of Kenyatta, as a threat to national unity and the return of ethnic violence to the country.
Controversy over the term
Because of its original usage as a plan for ethnoregional devolution that was promoted by the European settlers as a post-independence fallback bid to retain some political power in a majority-Black African country, the later usage of the term as "devolution" has engendered controversy in the press. Indeed, the Bomas draft defines devolution as usambazaji wa madaraka (literally, "division of self-governance").External links
- "Majimbo Was a Settler Scheme to Balkanise the Nation"
- "Is Majimbo Federalism? Constitutional Debate in a Tribal Shark-Tank"
- "Odinga 'Federo' Promise Divides Citizens"
- "Why ODM's Majimbo Propaganda Backfired"
- "BOMAS DRAFT CONSTITUTION" from the Raila Odinga official blog
- Bomas draft constitution
- Majimbo debate from WikileaksWikileaksWikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...