After independence, Kikuyu elites needed a way to consolidate political power and claim the spoils of freedom. The Gikuyu, Embu, Meru Association (GEMA) was formed in 1971 as a cultural welfare organization. In practice, it was an ethnic mobilization machine. GEMA raised funds for schools and businesses, but it also lobbied for land, pushed Kikuyu into government positions, and backed Kenyatta's presidency. When Kenyatta died, GEMA tried to block Moi's succession. They failed. Moi banned the organization in 1980. But the model survived. Ethnic mobilization for economic and political gain became the template for every community in Kenya.