G. G. KARIUKI IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND POLITICS OF LAIKIPIA COUNTY IN KENYA

Abstract

Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki, popularly known as G.G., is one of the longest serving political leaders in Kenya’s post-independence history. Yet, like many of his political contemporaries, his contribution to the historiography of Kenya has been overshadowed by the history of leaders whose careers were defined in Kenya’s colonial experience. The paper presents a short life history of G.G. Kariuki and his role in the politics and development of Laikipia County. The County has a diverse population comprising the Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Turkana, Samburu, a small population of the Maasai and white farmers. As such it is a County inhabited by pastoral nomadic and agricultural communities. It is basically a multiethnic and multi-racial County. The County over the years has experienced inter-ethnic and human-animal conflicts. G.G. Kariuki was instrumental in resolving some of these conflicts. Literature review involved the review of various biographies and autobiographies of Kenya and the rest of Africa. G.G. Kariuki may not have been a hero but his leadership and strategies especially on settlement schemes changed the course of history of Laikipia County. Data was collected by use of field interviews as well as thorough the examination of secondary sources collected from public libraries and the Kenya National Archives (KNA). The data was analysed qualitatively. The paper hopes to contribute to the historiography on the makers of post-independent Kenya.