Decolonising the History of Kenya’s Political Governance

What is it about?

This paper examines how political governance in Kenya has evolved from pre-colonial times to the present, focusing on the impact of colonialism. It argues that before colonial rule, Kenyan societies used their own languages and systems to create agreements and govern themselves in a consensual way. However, with the arrival of colonialism, the British imposed a foreign, centralized system of governance based on English, which ignored and suppressed local traditions. This system was designed to benefit the colonial powers and the local elites, sidelining the voices of the indigenous people and dividing society along ethnic lines. The paper suggests that to challenge this colonial legacy, Kenya should focus on using its diverse languages and cultural practices to create a more decentralized and inclusive system of governance that reflects the country’s ethnic and linguistic diversity.

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