Daniel Toroitich arap Moi arap Moi wins the first multi

Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was first appointed to one of the African seats in Kenya's Legislative Council in 1955. Moi then won an elected seat on the council in 1957; he and other African council members became increasingly vocal in pushing for an end to British colonial rule. Moi emerged as a leader and spokesman for the Kalenjin, an ethnic minority. In 1960 he helped found the Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU), a moderate political party supported by several minority ethnic groups. In Kenya's 1963 pre-independence elections, KADU was defeated by the more radical Kenya African National Union (KANU), which drew support from the Kikuyu, Kenya's largest ethnic group. KANU leader Jomo Kenyatta, then became prime minister, beginning four decades of rule by the KADU party. After Kenyan independence in December 1963, KADU voluntarily merged with KANU. Kenya was established as a republic with Kenyatta as president in December 1964. Moi was made minister for home affairs, and then vice president in 1967. Upon Kenyatta's death in August 1978, Moi became the second president of Kenya. He began his presidency by cultivating a populist image by traveling throughout Kenya, addressing public meetings, and associating himself with popular policies, such as free milk for school children. A masterful politician, Moi kept his opponents divided as he appointed allies to important government positions and used the powers of the executive branch to solidify his rule. Moi's presidency became increasingly authoritarian as he began to consolidate his own political power and enhance his personal fortunes. Moi established a one-party state in 1982. In August of that year the Kenyan air force attempted an unsuccessful coup to unseat him. Moi was reelected unopposed in 1983 and 1988. As the Cold War wound down in the late 1980s, Western powers were no longer willing to prop up corrupt African regimes in their attempts to keep communism at bay. Continued repression and subsequent protests in Kenya thus led the United States and others to withhold aid. In December 1991 Moi agreed to legalize opposition political parties, but at the same time encouraged political and ethnic divisions among the new parties. In presidential elections held in December 1992, Moi faced three major opponents who split the opposition vote. Moi was reelected president with only 36 percent of the vote in an election marred by widespread violence and fraud.  By 1997 Moi's government faced popular calls for further political and electoral reform and an end to widespread government corruption. Moi repealed several repressive measures that had limited opposition-party activity. However, presidential elections held in December 1997 were strikingly similar to the 1992 elections, with Moi winning 40 percent of the vote a over fractured opposition and amidst widespread violence and fraud. Constitutionally prohibited from seeking another term, Moi handpicked the KANU presidential candidate in the December 2002 elections. Opposition parties united to sweep the elections, and four decades of KANU rule ended when Moi stepped down in late December.