Opposition in 1983 was constrained to exist only within KANU, given the one-party system. The government's explicit control over primary contests left little room for meaningful internal opposition. Candidates who challenged government-favored candidates faced obstacles. The security atmosphere following the coup attempt intimidated dissent. Sitting MPs who attempted to resist government pressure sometimes found themselves defeated in primary contests. Opposition, to the extent it existed, was expressed through the muted resistance of politicians unable to defeat government-backed candidates.
See Also
- 1983 Election
- KANU Party
- Kenya One-Party State
- Daniel arap Moi
- Kenya Authoritarianism
- 1983 Election Post-Coup Atmosphere
Sources
- Widner, Jennifer. The Rise of a Party-State in Kenya. University of California Press, 1992.
- Hornsby, Charles. Kenya: A History Since Independence. I.B. Tauris, 2012.
- Gitonga, Ezra. "Moi's Kenya: Social Engineering in a Kleptocratic State." In Rogue States and State Sponsors of Terrorism. Edited by Robert Rotberg, 2007.