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Role Of Government In Government

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The President therefore had control and power over the legislature. He also succeeded in forming a de facto one-party rule that made sure that there was no political competition that challenged his rule. The absence of political party competition enabled the president to control the appointment of the presiding officer, or the speaker, of the legislature. The closing years of Kenyatta’s rule were marked by rising intolerance and high-level corruption. He concentrated on creating Kikuyu dominance in business and among senior political appointees. Over the years, due to pressure from opposition parties, it became increasingly difficult for the president to influence the parliamentary agenda. In the sixth schedule, the 2010 Constitution …show more content…

During his regime, Kenyatta grew very hostile to those who arrayed criticism against his governance policies. For example, one of his allies during the struggle for independence leading to the formation of the new government, J. M. Kariuki, was assassinated under very suspicious circumstances. He had become a critic of the official government corruption, including the injustices surrounding land redistribution among the landless in Kenya. Kenyatta chose to redistribute the land that was previously owned by the colonialists to his cronies. In an attempt to mitigate a potential revolt, Kenyatta had ordered an investigation into the murder. A list of government security officers was implicated, but none of them was ever punished. Other political figures who suffered the fate of J. M. Kariuki were the likes of Tom Mboya, Ronald Ngala, Karumba, Bruce MacKenzie, Pio Gama Pinto, and Argwings Kodhek. Until his death in 1978, Kenyatta took control over almost all sectors of the Kenyan economy. Moreover, the presidency had control over state finance, which was exercised with little, if any, accountability. Kenyatta (and Moi after him) controlled the armed forces, the police, the civil service, (and) the provincial administration. Their hold on the key levers of governance put them in control over patronage resources and gave them unparalleled hold over the key sectors on the economy and politics.

3.4 Moi’s Regime and the Rise of Corruption

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