Moi, Daniel Toroitich arap

Moi, Daniel Toroitich arap
▪ 1999

      On Jan. 5, 1998, Daniel arap Moi was sworn in for a fifth term as president of Kenya after being declared the winner of national elections held in December 1997. Although the elections were marred by riots and demonstrations, and although Moi's opponents charged the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) party with widespread electoral fraud, an independent commission found the elections to have been legitimate. Charges of fraud and corruption were nothing new to Moi; similar accusations had been leveled against him during previous campaigns. In any event, Moi responded to critics in the manner to which they had become accustomed during his 20-year rule—he ignored them. A favourable new biography published in November raised as many questions as it answered.

      Moi was born in 1924 in Sacho, in what was then Britain's Kenya colony. A member of the Sudanic Kalenjin people, an ethnic minority in the predominantly Bantu nation, he was educated at mission and government schools. At the age of 21 he became a teacher. In the early 1950s the Mau Mau rebellion broke out in the colony. As a Kalenjin, Moi was not involved in the rebellion, which was almost solely the work of the Bantu Kikuyu people. The revolt was the harbinger of Kenyan independence, and Moi's teaching background led to his appointment as minister of education in a transition government in the early 1960s. Although Moi had originally been chairman of the Kenya African Democratic Union, a party composed of minority peoples, he joined the Kikuyu-dominated KANU in 1964. That same year Kenya became an independent nation, and Moi was appointed minister of home affairs. In 1967 he was appointed vice president.

      With the death of Jomo Kenyatta in 1978, Moi became president. He promoted his Kalenjin countrymen to positions of authority in his government at the expense of the Kikuyu and curried the favour of the army, which proved loyal to him in suppressing a coup attempt in 1982. Moi also continued Kenyatta's pro-Western policies, which ensured significant sums of development aid during the Cold War. Although corruption was endemic and civil rights more of an abstract concept than a reality, under Moi's stewardship Kenya emerged as one of the most prosperous and stable African nations.

      As Moi consolidated his power, he consistently refused to consider constitutional reforms. Dissent grew, and the 1997 elections were the greatest challenge of his political career. A disorganized opposition (there were about a dozen other presidential candidates) and an electoral system that overwhelmingly favoured the ruling party ensured his reelection. Violence continued after the election, and hundreds of Kenyans, mainly Kikuyu, were killed.

JOHN H. MATHEWS

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Moi, Daniel (Toroitich) arap — born 1924, Sacho, Kenya Colony Five term president of Kenya (from 1978). Trained as a teacher, Moi served in the cabinet and as vice president (1967–78) under Pres. Jomo Kenyatta before succeeding him as president. Head of the dominant Kenyan… …   Universalium

  • Moi, Daniel (Toroitich) Arap — (n. 1924, Sacho, África Oriental Británica). Presidente de Kenia durante cinco períodos (1978–2002). Formado como profesor, fue miembro del gabinete y vicepresidente (1967–78) durante la presidencia de Jomo Kenyatta antes de sucederlo en el cargo …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Moi, Daniel arap — ▪ president of Kenya in full  Daniel Toroitich arap Moi   born 1924, Sacho, Kenya Colony [now Kenya]       Kenyan politician, who held the office of president (1978–2002).       Moi was educated at mission and government schools. He became a… …   Universalium

  • Daniel — (del hebreo דָּנִיֵּאל) fue un profeta bíblico cuyo nombre significa Dios es mi juez . Según lo que aparece escrito en la Biblia, Daniel formaba parte de la tribu de Judá que había sido capturada y permanecía en Babilonia cuando Nabucodonosor… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Daniel Arap Moi — Dieser Artikel ist nicht hinreichend mit Belegen (Literatur, Webseiten oder Einzelnachweisen) versehen. Die fraglichen Angaben werden daher möglicherweise demnächst gelöscht. Hilf Wikipedia, indem du die Angaben recherchierst und gute Belege… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Daniel — /dan yeuhl/, n. 1. Bible. a. a prophet living in Babylon during the Captivity. b. the book of the Bible bearing his name. Abbr.: Dan. 2. Samuel, 1562 1619, English poet and historian: poet laureate 1599 1619. 3. a male given name: from a Hebrew… …   Universalium

  • Daniel arap Moi — Daniel Toroitich arap Moi 2nd President of Kenya In office 22 August 1978 – 30 December 2002 Vice President Mwai Kibaki Josephat Ka …   Wikipedia

  • Daniel Arap Moi — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Daniel arap Moi junto al presidente estadounidense George W. Bush en la sede las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York el 10 de noviembre de 2001 Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi (nacido el el 2 de septiembre de 1924) fue… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Arap Moi — Daniel Arap Moi Pour les articles homonymes, voir Moi (homonymie). Daniel T. arap Moi Président de la République du Kenya …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Daniel arap Moi — Daniel Toroitich arap Moi (n. el 2 de septiembre de 1924) fue Presidente de Kenia de 1978 a 2002. Nacido en Sacho, en el distrito de Baringo, provincia de Rift Valley, Daniel arap Moi fue criado por su madre Kimoi Chebii después de la temprana… …   Enciclopedia Universal

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”