Democratic Party of Kenya (DP) emerges as an alternative opposition party
democratic party DP logo
By: William Muchiri
Worth Noting:
- From December 1991, DP has been in existence and remains one of the original parties that is still ‘breathing’, about three decades later.
- Although it has changed leadership, the original founders are still remembered for the role that they took to liberate this country.
- The founders of this party included former Othaya Member of Parliament Mwai Kibaki who eleven years after founding the party went to become the third president in the country.
- Other founders were former Kiambaa MP, the late Njenga Karume, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Uncle George Muhoho, former minister Joseph Munyao, and former Maasai Community leader John Keen among others.
A few decades after foreigners (colonialists) landed in the East African region; they put beacons and named the area as Kenya.
Kenya as a country was born with those living in the area not knowing what would befall them.
A few years later, the dwellers realised that the visitors that they warmly welcomed, the visitors that they thought meant well for them had no good intentions.
Thus, the need to set ‘the record’ straight began.
First they began by expressing their displeasure on foreigner’s infringement on their way of living. This involved protest over forceful tajeove of their land and general interference of their way of living.
To agitate for their rights, formations were founded and that is how groups that later came to be political parties emerged.
This is how the likes of Mau Mau groups came into being. They agitated for freedom of the natives and eventually, Kenya as an independent state was formed.
Come the sovereign state and a few years after, some thought the independence gained was not enough. New Political formations began.
Although this didn’t take long, the new leaderships clashed such formations in what was described as dictatorship reign.
However, three decades after independence, it was evident that such leadership was not only sustainable but Kenyans were not ready to continue with such political arrangements.
Then President, the late Daniel Moi albeit with reservations allowed establishment of political parties.
With this development, most of those dissatisfied with his leadership joined FORD, the first ever party to be registered as an opponent of the then ruling party, Kanu.
DP was a few weeks later founded as an alternative home to opposition sympathizers who were not comfortable under FORD.
From December 1991, DP has been in existence and remains one of the original parties that is still ‘breathing’, about three decades later.
Although it has changed leadership, the original founders are still remembered for the role that they took to liberate this country.
The founders of this party included former Othaya Member of Parliament Mwai Kibaki who eleven years after founding the party went to become the third president in the country.
Other founders were former Kiambaa MP, the late Njenga Karume, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Uncle George Muhoho, former minister Joseph Munyao, and former Maasai Community leader John Keen among others.
With the establishment of the opposition politics, DP received support from basically areas where residents had every reason to believe that the Moi administration had muscled their best way of living. Where the locals believed that they were received little or no attention from the then Government.
Come the first General Election under the multiparty rule and Kibaki became one of the strong challengers of the then Incumbent.
He emerged third after the then long ruling President and fellow opposition leader Kenneth Matiba.
Since then DP has remained one of the political parties that is still visible as others emerge and disappear.
Today, DP is one of the parties that have a strong presidential candidate as the election date nears.
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