The Politics of Succession in Africa: Kenya After Kenyatta

Abstract

The majority of African governments have secured their political independence only in the last two decades. All of them have faced many problems of one kind or another normally expected of new states emerging from a colonial period of either oppressive experience or benign neglect. Some have survived well and even thrived, many have not and continue to grope for solutions. One of the most tenacious of these problems has been the problem of peaceful and orderly transition from one regime or leadership to another. This paper will begin wuiih a capitulatiosi of the most frequently adduced explanations for the phenomenon of conflictual and haphazard succession. The experience of Kenya in this context is an interesting and important one, not only because of the remarkable achievement represented in the recent relatively peaceful leadership transition the country had experienced after the death of President Kenyatta, but also because Kenya, like many African countries, suppressed public discussion of the succession issue and dealt with political dissent rather harshly. This experience will be discussed as well as the emergence and acceptability of Mr. Daniel T. arap Mol as the new president and whether this peaceful leadership change portends any significant changes in the domestic policies and foreign policy posture of the last fifteen years or so.