Title: Timeline for Kenya
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Expiration_date: 9998-12-31 00:00:00
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 .600 - Arabs begin settling coastal areas, over the centuries developing trading stations which facilitated contact with the Arab world, Persia and India.

 .16th century - Portuguese try establish foothold on the Kenyan coast but are driven off by Swahili states and Omani Arabs by the end of 17th century.

 .1830s - Omani Arabs consolidate control of the coast.

 .1895 - Formation of British East African Protectorate.

 .Early 1900s - White settlers move into highlands, railway built from Mombasa to Lake Victoria.

 .1920 - East African Protectorate becomes crown colony of Kenya - administered by a British governor.

 .1944 - Kenyan African Union (KAU) formed to campaign for African independence. First African appointment to legislative council.

 .1947 - Jomo Kenyatta becomes KAU leader.

 .1952 - Secret Kikuyu guerrilla group known as Mau Mau begins violent campaign against white settlers. State of emergency declared. Kenyatta arrested.

 .1953 - Kenyatta charged with management of Mau Mau and jailed. KAU banned.

 .1956 - Mau Mau rebellion put down after thousands killed - mainly Africans.

 .1959 - Kenyatta released from jail but under house arrest.

 .1960 - State of emergency ends. Britain announces plans to prepare Kenya for majority African rule. Kenya African national Union (Kanu) formed by Tom Mboya and Oginga Odinga.

 .1961 - Kenyatta freed and assumes presidency of Kanu.

 .1963 - Kenya gains independence, with Kenyatta as prime minister.

 .1964 - Republic of Kenya formed. Kenyatta becomes president and Odinga vice-president.

 .1966 - Odinga, a Luo, leaves Kanu after ideological split, forms rival Kenya People's Union (KPU).

 .1969 - Assassination of government minister Tom Mboya sparks ethnic unrest. KPU banned and Odinga arrested. Kanu only party to contest elections.

 .1974 - Kenyatta re-elected.

 .1978 - Kenyatta dies in office, succeeded by Vice-President Daniel arap Moi.

 .1982 June - Kenya officially declared a one-party state by National Assembly.

 .1982 August - Army suppresses air force coup attempt. Private Hezekiah Ochuka rules country for about six hours.

 .1987 - Opposition groups suppressed. International criticism of political arrests and human rights abuses.

 .1989 - Political prisoners freed.

 .1990 - Death of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Dr Robert Ouko, in suspicious circumstances leads to increased dissent against government.

 .1991 August - Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (Ford) formed by six opposition leaders, including Oginga Odinga. Party outlawed and members arrested. Creditors suspend aid to Kenya amid fierce international condemnation.

 .1991 December - Special conference of Kanu agrees to introduce a multi-party political system.

 .1992 - Approximately 2,000 people killed in tribal conflict in the west of the country.

 .1992 August - Ford splits into two factions - Ford-Asili (led by ex-government minister Kenneth Matiba) and Ford-Kenya (led by Odinga).

 .1992 December - Moi re-elected in multi-party elections. Kanu wins strong majority. 










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