Forum for the Restoration of Democracy – Kenya

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Forum for the Restoration of Democracy–Kenya
AbbreviationFORD–Kenya
LeaderMoses Wetangula
ChairpersonJoel Amuma Ruhu
Secretary-GeneralChrisantus Wamalwa Wakhungu
FounderGeorge Kinuthia
Founded1991
Split fromFORD
HeadquartersOle-Odume Road, Nairobi
IdeologySocial democracy[1]
Political positionCentre-left
National affiliationKenya Kwanza
ColoursBlack, white and green
National Assembly
12 / 349
Senate
1 / 67
Governors
2 / 47
Website
fordkenya.co.ke

Forum for the Restoration of Democracy–Kenya (FORD–Kenya) is a Kenyan political party. The party has sat in the government of Kenya once, under the National Rainbow Coalition, from 2003 to 2007, having ended forty years of one party (Kenya African National Union) rule. In April 2022, the party joined the Kenya Kwanza coalition for the August 2022 elections,[2][3] and is headed by Moses Wetangula, the current speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya

History

The history of FORD-Kenya is essentially the history of multi-party politics in Kenya. Kenya was a one-party state until December 1991, when a special conference of the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) agreed to introduce a multiparty political system. An umbrella political grouping, the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD), had been formed in August 1991 by six opposition leaders to fight for change in the country. The six were Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Phillip Gachoka, Ahmed Bamahariz, Salim Ndamwe, Masinde Muliro and George Nthenge. But President Daniel arap Moi had outlawed it, its leaders were under constant surveillance by security agents, and their meetings outlawed. Intimidation only eased after sustained pressure from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Scandinavian countries. In August 1992, due to an internal power struggle over the leadership of FORD, the party split into two factions: FORD-Asili (led by Kenneth Matiba) and FORD-Kenya (led by Oginga Odinga). FORD-Kenya performed poorly in the general elections of 1992, coming a distant third behind KANU and FORD-Asili. The reelection of President Moi and KANU, both deeply unpopular, owed much to the division of the original FORD.[4] Odinga died in January 1994 and was succeeded as chairman of FORD-Kenya by Michael Wamalwa Kijana. At the time, FORD-Kenya's leadership included some of the top opposition leaders in Kenya, including lawyer James Orengo, economist Professor Peter Anyang' Nyong'o, Raila Odinga (the son of Oginga Odinga), Oburu Odinga (Raila's elder brother), environmentalist, and, later on, Nobel laureate, Wangari Maathai, and many others. But the party was headed for yet another split. Michael Wamalwa and Raila Odinga tussled over the leadership of FORD-Kenya for 2 years. In 1997, Wamalwa beat Odinga in free and fair party elections, precipitating a devastating tribal split that the party has yet to recover from. Raila, with a sizeable number of Luo MP's, left FORD-Kenya to join the National Development Party of Kenya (NDP). In the 1997 general elections, FORD-Kenya finished fourth, behind Raila's NDP.

General elections

2002 General elections

Kenya's opposition political parties finally put their differences behind them in the run-up to the 2002 general elections, fielding one candidate, Mwai Kibaki, for the presidency. Kibaki defeated the KANU candidate, Uhuru Kenyatta, and formed a government of national unity. He appointed FORD-Kenya's leader, Michael Wamalwa, to be vice president and gave a number of cabinet positions to FORD-Kenya MPs.

2013 General elections

In December 2012 it was one of four parties to enter into Coalition for Reforms and Democracy, alongside Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement, Charity Ngilu's National Rainbow Coalition, and Kalonzo Musyoka's Wiper Democratic Movement – Kenya.[5]

Change of leadership

Michael Wamalwa Kijana died in London on 23 August 2003 after a long illness.[6] After the funeral, FORD-Kenya elected Musikari Kombo to succeed Wamalwa, beating another FORD-Kenya MP, Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, in the contest. With neither the charisma of Michael Wamalwa nor the crowd-pulling popularity of Raila Odinga, Kombo struggled to establish the party as an influential component of the ruling coalition. The party felt shortchanged after the death of Wamalwa, when the prized position of vice president was handed to the LDP's Moody Awori and a number of other appointments went the way of other parties. Kombo showed his mantle as the FORD-Kenya Chairman when he led his party MPs in rejecting their appointment to the newly reconstituted cabinet after the constitutional referendum of 2005. This forced President Mwai Kibaki to take Kombo and FORD-Kenya seriously and increase the number of FORD-Kenya cabinet ministers to 6 from 3 and acquire other senior civil service appointments for its party members. In March 2007, a breakaway party known as New Ford Kenya was registered[7] by cabinet minister Soita Shitanda. Kituyi later joined the party.[8] At the Kenyan general election, 2007, FORD-Kenya aligned with the newly created Party of National Unity led by President Kibaki.[9] It ran, however, its own candidates in a number of constituencies and local authorities. The election results were very poor as with a quarter of constituencies not yet decided had FORD-Kenya holding only one seat. Kombo's tenure ended with the party suffering through numerous court cases trying to get a new leader. Eventually, Moses Wetangula became the leader of the party through a national delegates congress election.

Governing body

As gazetted on 30th of November 2021, the Registrar of Political Parties in Kenya gave notice that FORD-Kenya made changes to its governing body.[10]

Designation Current Official
Party Leader Moses M. Wetangula
Deputy Party Leader Millicent Anyango Abudho
National Chairperson Joel Amuma Ruhu
1st Vice-Chairperson Susan Wafula (Dr.)
2nd Vice-Chairperson Henry ole Ndiema
Secretary-General Chrisantus Wamalwa Wakhungu (Dr.)
1st Deputy Secretary-General Tindi Manasse
2nd Deputy Secretary-General Yassir Bajaber Sheikh
National Treasurer Nasri Ibrahim Salal
1st Deputy National Treasurer Margaret Wanjala
2nd Deputy National Treasurer John Kennedy Wanyama
National Organizing Secretary Chris Mandu Mandu
1st Deputy Organizing Secretary Elizabeth Iminza
2nd Deputy Organizing Secretary David Burare
Director of Elections Khadija Mustafa
1st Deputy Director of Elections Emmanuel Osore
2nd Deputy Director of Elections Christine Nzuki
Secretary for Labour, Administration and Public Services Ann Walubengo
Deputy Secretary for Labour, Administration and Public Services Wilbroda Shinanda
Secretary for Education Catherine Wambiliyanga
Deputy Secretary for Education Peris Akoth
Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Ferdinand K. Wanyonyi
Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries John Hereng
Secretary for Health Services Kibunguch Enock (Dr.)
Deputy Secretary for Health Services Abigael N. Matini
Secretary for Finance and Economic Services Stephen Apopo
Deputy Secretary for Finance and Economic Services Tondoo Chrispus
Secretary for Water, Environment and Natural Resources Majimbo Kalasinga
Deputy Secretary for Water, Environment and Natural Resources Lucy Nagholo
Secretary for Trade, Tourism, Co-operatives and Enterprise Development Bernard Baraza
Deputy Secretary for Trade, Tourism, Cooperatives and Enterprise Development Hadad Fesal Almas
Secretary for Lands and Infrastructural Development James Arimonyang
Deputy Secretary for Lands and Infrastructural Development Bishop James Muiru Karemi
Secretary for Constitutional and Legal Affairs Sudi Wandabusi
1st Deputy Secretary for Constitutional And Legal Affairs Reuben Miida Riech
2nd Secretary for Constitutional and Legal Affairs Linda Mukhanya
Secretary for Gender, Youth Affairs and Sports Luke Opwora
Deputy Secretary for Gender, Youth Affairs and Sports Kamila Mathew Salat
Secretary for Information, Communication, Technology and Research Development Bramwell Simiyu
Deputy Secretary for Information, Communication, Technology and Research Development Roselida Adambi
Secretary for Devolution and County Co-ordination Zaddock Mbeya
Deputy Secretary for Devolution and County Co-ordination Major (Rtd) Mutacho Omar
Parliamentary Chief Whip Said Hiribae
Professionals League Chairperson Benson W. Millimo
Women League President Pauline Nakila
Youth League President Moses Wafula Chekai
Seniors League Chairperson Gitu Wa Kahengeri
Persons with Disabilities League Chairperson Pepela Wanyonyi

References

  1. ^ "Our History | Ford-Kenya". Archived from the original on 2017-04-11. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
  2. ^ "LIVE: Kenya Kwanza coalition agreement signing". YouTube.
  3. ^ Wanyoike, William (2022-02-21). "Political parties supporting Ruto for presidency". The Star. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  4. ^ "Authoritarian leaders and multiparty elections in Africa: how foreign donors help to keep Kenya's Daniel arap Moi in power", authored by Stephen Brown, Third World Quarterly, vol. 22, no. 5, page 728, 2001
  5. ^ "Raila, Kalonzo seal deal as Mudavadi joins Uhuru, RutoRaila, Kalonzo seal deal as Mudavadi joins Uhuru, Ruto", Standard Digital, reported by Geoffrey Mosoku and Moses Njagih, 5 December 2012
  6. ^ "Obituary: Michael Wamalwa". the Guardian. 2003-10-14. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  7. ^ "New Ford-Kenya party registered", The Standard, 8 March 2007[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "Ford-Kenya to oppose Kituyi, says Kombo", The Standard, 21 November 2007
  9. ^ "Kenya president eyes re-election". 2007-09-16. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  10. ^ "GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 12993" (PDF). The Kenya Gazette. CXXIII—No. 244 (Special): 2. 2021-11-30 – via The Republic of Kenya.

External links

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