IN BRIEF:
- The Kiambu Mafia was a group of wealthy individuals from the Kikuyu community in Kenya who gained significant financial and political power during the reign of KANU and Jomo Kenyatta. They acquired their wealth through the acquisition of land and the control of the tea and coffee industries in the region.
- They also had significant influence over the politics and tertiary sector of Kenya. However, their power was limited by the crackdown of Daniel arap Moi, and changes in the economic landscape of Kenya.
The Kiambu Mafia is a term used to describe a group of wealthy individuals from the Kikuyu community who gained significant financial and political power during the reign of Kenya African National Union (KANU) and Jomo Kenyatta, the first President of Kenya.
These individuals were primarily from the Kiambu district, now Kiambu County. They amassed their wealth through the acquisition of land that was sold or awarded to them by the government, as well as through the control of the tea and coffee plantations that were prevalent in the region.
The Kiambu Mafia's influence was not limited to the economy. They were also heavily involved in politics and had significant sway over the tertiary sector as it developed.
Due to their wealth and connections, they were able to acquire land from peasants in the Central Province, and exchange it for larger parcels of land in the Rift Valley Province.
The Kenyan government's plutocratic style at the time gave the Kiambu Mafia easy access to essential resources, and many of its members were well-educated, having attended universities both in Kenya and abroad.
However, it is worth noting that not all members of the Kiambu Mafia were from the Kiambu district.
As Jomo Kenyatta's health began to deteriorate, the Kiambu Mafia became concerned about their continuing influence and started to plan for his succession.
They aimed to amend the constitution to ensure that the Vice President would not automatically take over until elections were held. However, Charles Mugane Njonjo, who was part of the Kiambu Mafia but had different interests, opposed the succession talks.
Njonjo had his sights set on the presidency, which the other members of the group were not prepared to support.
He felt that it would be easier to take the presidency from Daniel arap Moi, who was seen as a weak politician, rather than from any member of the Kiambu Mafia.
When Moi came to power in 1978, he abolished all the "tribal" movements, including the Gikuyu, Embu, Meru Association (GEMA), many of whose members were part of the Kiambu Mafia.
Moi was uncomfortable with the amount of wealth and power that the members of the Kiambu Mafia wielded and sought to limit their influence.
The Kiambu Mafia's downfall was partly due to Moi's crackdown on their power, but it was also a result of changes in the political and economic landscape of Kenya.
The Kenyan government began to implement policies that encouraged the diversification of the economy, which led to a decrease in the influence of the coffee and tea industries.
The Kiambu Mafia's power base was eroded, and many of its members were unable to adapt to the changing environment.