A history of the Kenya People's Union - 1966 - 1969
Abstract
The primary purpose of this study is to describe
the formation of the KPU,its major policies and
organization and its struggle with Kanu for political
influence. Although it is desirable to keep fairly close to
the main topics, it has been found necessary to examine
a selection of some peripheral topics. This has involved
a fairly intensive treatment of such topics as the structure
and control of Kenya's economized cleavages in Kenya
and the cleavage caused by rivalry between the communist
block and the capitalist block.
The study has been made for three main reasons.
First, most scholars who have studied politics in Kenya in ..
the period 1957-1969 have reflected one false assumption,
namely, that political struggles in the country were
mainly due to rivalry between prominent politicians.
Within this context, the formation of the KPU in I969 bas
Inevitably been viewed in terms of struggles between Oginga
Odinga and Tom Mboya.lt is this emphasis on personalities
that this study has tried to re-examine.
Second, nothing of consequence has been written
about the KPU,and yet its formation in I966 was an
outstanding event ‘which greatly influenced subsequent
developments in Kenya. "'. Third, it is hoped that this study will shed some
more light on the intricate social, economic and political
processes
Citation
M.A ThesisPublisher
Facult of Arts, Makerere University