The struggle for political and constitutional reforms in the post-independence Kenya: the Nairobi Asians in a perspective

Abstract

This paper examines the contributions of Asians from Nairobi in the struggle for political and constitutional reforms in Kenya in the post-independence period. The paper is anchored on a liberal democratic theoretical perspective. Liberal democracy as advanced by John Locke, argues that the natural law guarantees every individual right to life, liberty and protection of private property. Thus this paper uses this approach to show that Asians have been engaging in political participation in Nairobi as a way of championing for protection of their natural rights and that of the other Kenyans. The key objectives of the paper are to: examine the repression of reform-minded Asians from Nairobi, describe the biographical briefs of Asian luminaries from Nairobi, examine the role played by Asian-led civil societies domiciled in Nairobi city in agitation for political and constitutional reforms in post-independence Kenya, examine the contributions of Nairobi Asian luminaries in agitation for electoral reforms in Kenya, and discuss Asian submissions to the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC) in 2002 and the Committee of Experts (COE) in 2009. This paper adopts a descriptive survey design and utilizes both primary and secondary data. Similarly, the paper utilizes both stratified and purposive sampling techniques to identify research informants. This paper reveals that both the government of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel Arap Moi repressed the reform-minded Asians from Nairobi. Further this study reveals that the Asianminority community in Nairobi has been in the fore front championing for political reforms and constitutional review process in the post-independence Kenya. This is evidenced in their contributions to the CKRC in 2002 and the COE in 2009. Their efforts and that of the other Kenyan political activists bore fruits in 2010 with the promulgation of the constitution of Kenya 2010.