44 Years After the 1982 Coup: Kenya Changed Presidents But Preserved the System
Every August 1, Kenya confronts the memory of one of the most turbulent episodes in its post-independence history. On that date in 1982, junior Kenya Air Force servicemen led by Senior Private Hezekiah Ochuka attempted to overthrow President Daniel arap Moi. The rebellion collapsed within hours, leaving death, destruction, mass arrests and a political atmosphere saturated with fear. Forty-four years later, the coup should neither be romanticised as a popular revolution nor dismissed as the irrational adventure of disgruntled soldiers. It was an explosive symptom of a deeper national crisis: authoritarian government, institutional discrimination, restricted political participation, concentrated wealth and…