|
4.1 million years before the present
|
|
Austrolopithicus anamensis, considered
one of the first upright walking humans, inhabited the west of what is now
called Lake Turkana. |
|
3.5 million years before the present
|
|
Kenyanthropus platyops lived in the
area West of Lake Turkana; skeleton remains found between 1998-1999 and
stored at the National Museums of Kenya. |
|
200 A.D.
|
|
Bantu migrants bring technology to the
Coast of Kenya. |
|
+700 A.D.
|
|
Arabs who traded with the local people
introduce Islam on the Coast of East Africa. |
|
+750 A.D.
|
|
Swahili urban settlements spring up
along the Kenyan Coast. |
|
10-14th Century
|
|
The Nilotes, consisting of the Kalenjin,
Maasai, Turkana, Iteso, and Luo, moved from the West of Lake Turkana into
Kenya. |
|
13th Century
|
|
Some Bantu speakers split into two groups
when moving into Central Tanzania settling in between Mt. Kilimanjaro and
the Indian Ocean. The first group migrated north forming the Taveta, Dawida
and Akamba peoples. The second group moved along the coast into the hilltops
behind the coastline north becoming the Mijikenda. And a third group moving
westwards settled in the Kenya Highlands, which became the Agikuyu, Aembu,
Chuka, Tharaka, and the Ameru. |
|
15th Century
|
|
"Golden Age" of Swahili Civilization |
|
15th-17th Century
|
|
The Luos migrated from southern Sudan
to Uganda and settled on the shores of Lake Victoria. From there they began
spreading along the shores to Kisumu and Kano Plains. |
|
1528
|
|
The first Portuguese attack on Mombasa |
|
1593
|
|
Fort Jesus is built by the Portuguese
in Mombasa |
|
18th Century
|
|
The Maasai moved through the plains
before settling in the Rift Valley area. |
|
1846 August 25th
|
|
Dr. Ludwig Krapf, a German and missionary
of the Church Missionary Society of England, establishes the first Christian
Mission of Kenya among the Mijikenda on the coast. |
|
1883
|
|
Joseph Thomson is the first European
explorer to pass through Maasai country. |
|
1887
|
|
Sir William Mackinnon and the British
East Africa Association accept a concession of the Zanzibar sultan's territory
for a 50-year period. |
|
1890
|
|
Waiyaki Wa Hinga, a Kikuyu chief who
ruled Dagoretti, signed a treaty with Fredrick Lugard of the Imperial British
East Africa Company. Lugard settled in Dagoretti and began harassing the
Kikuyu for their women and food. In defiance to his demands they burnt down
Lugard's fortress. In 1892, the British administration kidnapped Hinga and
buried him alive along the coast of Kenya. |
|
1894
|
|
British government declares a protectorate
over Kenya and Uganda, calling it the The East Africa Protectorate and Sir
Arthur Hardinge becomes the first Commissioner. |
|
1896-1897
|
|
The British sends military expeditions
against the Kikuyu and the Kamba to assert authority. |
|
Late 19th Century
|
|
Koitalel Arap Samoei, a diviner and
Nandi leader prophesied that a black snake would tear through Nandi land
spitting fire, which was seen later as the railway line. For ten years he
fought against the builders of the railway line and train. Later, determined
to continue the railway line, the British created a trap and killed Samoei. |
|
Early 20th Century
|
|
Mekatilili Wa Menza resisted British
attempts to eradicate Giriama traditional culture through the destruction
of kaya, sacred forest shrines and places of worship. She led the Giriama
people into a rebellion against the British. Mekatilili was later captured
and exiled to Western Kenya. |
|
1901
|
|
First railway line completed from Mombasa
to Kisumu on Lake Victoria. |
|
1909
|
|
National Museums of Kenya founded |
|
1920
|
|
The status of the East Africa Protectorate
is changed to the Kenya Colony and the coastal strip is named the Kenya
Protectorate. |
|
1921
|
|
The first African political protest
movement in Kenya against the government began by the Young Kikuyu Association,
led by Harry Thuku. |
|
1944
|
| The first African is included in legislative
council of an East African territory. |
|
1947
|
| In preparation for efforts to gain freedom
from the British rule, members of the Kikuyu, Embu, Meru and Kamba took
oaths of unity and secrecy, thus the Mau Mau movement began. |
|
1953 April 8th
|
| Jomo Kenyatta, born Kamau wa Ngengi,
is charged with directing the Mau Mau movement and sentenced to 7 years
imprisonment. |
|
1956
|
| Dedan Kimathi was arrested on February
18th for his role in the Mau Mau uprising as a Field Marshall leading thousands
of fighters for the struggle of independence. |
|
1959
|
| Jomo Kenyatta is released from prison. |
|
1960
|
| Africans allowed to form their own nationwide
political parties. African leaders met in Kambu and created The Kenya African
National Union (KANU), led by J.S. Gichuru, Oginga Odinga, Tom Mboya and
later joined by Jomo Kenyatta. |
|
1963 June 1st
|
|
Kenya achieved internal self-government,
known as Madaraka (Freedom). June 1st is Madaraka Day, now celebrated as
Self Rule Day. |
|
1963 December 12th
|
| Kenya becomes fully independent |
|
1964
|
| Kenya becomes a Republic with Jomo Kenyatta
as its first President and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga as Vice President |
|
1966
|
|
Vice President Oginga Odinga
forms a new opposition party, Kenya People's Union (KPU)
1969 July |
|
1969 July
|
|
Tom Mboya, Minister of Economic
Planning, and Development is assassinated. |
|
1978
|
|
Jomo Kenyatta dies. |
|
1978 October
|
|
Daniel arap Moi succeeds
Kenyatta as Kenya's second President. |
|
1992
|
|
Section 14 of the Constitution
is repealed and Kenya holds its first multi-party elections. |
|
1994
|
| Oginga Odinga dies. |
|
1997
|
|
Second multi-party elections |
