By Anderson Ojwang
Kenya’s opposition could be facing a repeat of the Ford moment after the enactment of Section 2A of the Constitution that turned the country into a multi-party state.
The Ford moment that denied the opposition the presidency in the 1992 first multi-party elections could be re-emerging ahead of the 2027 general elections — and the opposition may once again fall under the axe.
The Ford moment could be sneaking back after 35 years and may strike the opposition parties, which are currently struggling to present a joint presidential candidate to face President William Ruto.
The political caucus Ford brought together the doyen of the opposition, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the late Martin Shikuku, and other old guards and young Turks such as James Orengo, Raila Odinga, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, Paul Muite, Gitobu Imanyara, the late George Kapten, and Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, among others, in their agitation for constitutional reforms.
Their collective pressure eventually forced then-President Daniel Arap Moi to concede to reforms.
Subsequently, in December 1991, President Daniel Arap Moi oversaw the repeal of Section 2A of the Kenyan Constitution, which had previously established the Kenya African National Union (KANU) as the sole legal political party. This action effectively ended Kenya’s one-party state and paved the way for a multi-party political system.
