Young_Turk
Elder Lister
The Young Turks are a group of (then) young men and women who came from different ethnic groups in Kenya to fight against the dictatorship of the former President of Kenya, Daniel Moi.
The Moi regime was expanded and consolidated by its alliance to the western bloc during the cold war. Upon the defeat of USSR, the West withdrew its support from the government and began a campaign for the democratization of Africa. In 1991, the Young Turks comprising of poor, unarmed but very educated individuals, began to call for the opening of the political scene to allow for multi-party participation. Particularly, they were challenging section 2(a) of the constitution of Kenya that restricted political participation to a single party, KANU. Which was headed and control by the president.
On July 7th, the young Turks led a demonstration in the famous Kamukunji grounds in the capital Nairobi. Many atrocities were committed by the police and the presidential secret service who attacked demonstrators with force, teargas and arbitrary arrests. This was such a significant time in the democracy of Kenya that caught the attention of the international community. Shortly after, the law barring multi party elections was repealed and the first democratic election was held in Kenya in 1992.
To date, the 7/7 day is marked annually as a day to celebrate the birth of democracy especially by different social justice groups. Various themes on issues of social justice are also highlighted during the marking of the day.
Article by
Julie Onyango
The Moi regime was expanded and consolidated by its alliance to the western bloc during the cold war. Upon the defeat of USSR, the West withdrew its support from the government and began a campaign for the democratization of Africa. In 1991, the Young Turks comprising of poor, unarmed but very educated individuals, began to call for the opening of the political scene to allow for multi-party participation. Particularly, they were challenging section 2(a) of the constitution of Kenya that restricted political participation to a single party, KANU. Which was headed and control by the president.
On July 7th, the young Turks led a demonstration in the famous Kamukunji grounds in the capital Nairobi. Many atrocities were committed by the police and the presidential secret service who attacked demonstrators with force, teargas and arbitrary arrests. This was such a significant time in the democracy of Kenya that caught the attention of the international community. Shortly after, the law barring multi party elections was repealed and the first democratic election was held in Kenya in 1992.
To date, the 7/7 day is marked annually as a day to celebrate the birth of democracy especially by different social justice groups. Various themes on issues of social justice are also highlighted during the marking of the day.
Article by
Julie Onyango
