Ronald Ngala
Encyclopedia
Ronald Gideon Ngala was a Kenyan
politician and statesman who was the leader of the Kenya African Democratic Union
political party from its creation in 1960 until its dissolution in 1964.
, which was to be Ngala's home for the rest of his life.
Ngala attended Alliance High School and Makerere University College where he gained a teaching diploma. He worked as a teacher in Kenya's coastal region and later became headmaster of Mbale Secondary School in Taita-Taveta District
.
In 1952 he was transferred to Buxton School in Mombasa
where he served as the principal.
In the 1957 elections to the legislative council, Ngala was elected to represent the Coast Rural constituency.
Following these elections, Ngala, along with Tom Mboya
, Oginga Odinga, Lawrenze Oguda, Masinde Muliro
, Daniel arap Moi
, Benard Mate and James Miumi formed the African Elected Members Organisation (AEMO) and signed a controversial press statement declaring Kenya's Lyttelton constitution on which they had been elected, void. One of the declarations of AEMO was that none of the African elected members of the legislative council would take any ministerial office. This constitutional crisis led to the first Lancaster House conference in 1960 at which the African delegation sought a new constitution for Kenya
At the Lancaster House conference, the ban on nationwide African political parties was lifted and the African delegation agreed to form the Kenya African National Union (KANU). Ngala was appointed to the committee which drafted KANU's constitution and at a meeting held on May 14 1960 in Kiambu
he was elected as the party's treasurer.
At the 1961 legislative council elections
KADU led by Ngala won 11 seats to KANU's 19, however the leaders of KANU refused to form any government until Jomo Kenyatta
was released from house arrest. KADU under Ngala agreed to form a government and Ngala became Leader of Government Business and later Chief Minister.
Jomo Kenyatta was released from house arrest later in 1961 and became president of KANU. Under Kenyatta's leadership KANU won 83 of the 129 seats in the national assembly at the 1963 elections
.
On 12 November 1964 six key members of KADU crossed the floor to KANU.
The leaders of KADU, including Ronald Ngala, Masinda Muliro and Daniel arap Moi decided to dissolve KADU and join KANU.
He went on to become one of KANU
’s vice-presidents at the 1966 Limuru Conference in which Oginga Odinga was ejected from KANU.
Ngala remained active in the government until he died in a road accident in 1972.
The circumstances of Ngala's death in 1972 were suspicious, but nobody was arrested or charged, and there was no inquiry.
|title=KANU Formation and the 1960s
|publisher=State House of Kenya
|accessdate=2011-09-09}}
|url=http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/ken1963results.htm
|title=Kenya: 1963 House of Representatives election results
|publisher=Electoral Institute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa
|accessdate=2011-09-10}}
|url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=1jVK1gD6G1QC&pg=RA1-PA2784
|title=Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard)
|date=1 Dec 1993 |year=1993
|volume=3 |issue=32}}
|url=http://photography.a24media.com/index.php/photogallery/prominent-faces/83-the-life-and-times-of-ronald-ngala
|title=Life and Times Of Ronald Ngala
|work=Africa 24 Media
|accessdate=2011-09-10}}
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
politician and statesman who was the leader of the Kenya African Democratic Union
Kenya African Democratic Union
The Kenya African Democratic Union was a political party in Kenya. It was founded in 1960 as an alternative to Jomo Kenyatta's Kenya African National Union . It was led by Ronald Ngala...
political party from its creation in 1960 until its dissolution in 1964.
Early Career
Ngala was born in 1922 at Gotani in Giriama country. In 1929 the family moved to Vishakani near KaloleniKaloleni, Kenya
Kaloleni is a settlement in Kilifi District, Coast Province of Kenya.It is about by road north of Mombasa city center.-Food and water supplies:...
, which was to be Ngala's home for the rest of his life.
Ngala attended Alliance High School and Makerere University College where he gained a teaching diploma. He worked as a teacher in Kenya's coastal region and later became headmaster of Mbale Secondary School in Taita-Taveta District
Taita-Taveta District
Taita Taveta-District is one of the seventy-one districts of Kenya, located in the Coast Province of that country. It lies approximately 200 km northwest of Mombasa and 360 km southeast of Nairobi city....
.
In 1952 he was transferred to Buxton School in Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
where he served as the principal.
Legislative Council
Ngala began his national career by being elected to the Legislative Council in 1957.In the 1957 elections to the legislative council, Ngala was elected to represent the Coast Rural constituency.
Following these elections, Ngala, along with Tom Mboya
Tom Mboya
Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya was a prominent Kenyan politician during Jomo Kenyatta's government. He was founder of the Nairobi People's Congress Party, a key figure in the formation of the Kenya African National Union , and the Minister of Economic Planning and Development at the time of his death...
, Oginga Odinga, Lawrenze Oguda, Masinde Muliro
Masinde Muliro
Masinde Muliro was a Kenyan politician, one of the central figures in the shaping of the political landscape in Kenya. A renowned freedom fighter, he campaigned for the restoration of multi-party democracy in Kenya in his later years....
, Daniel arap Moi
Daniel arap Moi
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was the President of Kenya from 1978 until 2002.Daniel arap Moi is popularly known to Kenyans as 'Nyayo', a Swahili word for 'footsteps'...
, Benard Mate and James Miumi formed the African Elected Members Organisation (AEMO) and signed a controversial press statement declaring Kenya's Lyttelton constitution on which they had been elected, void. One of the declarations of AEMO was that none of the African elected members of the legislative council would take any ministerial office. This constitutional crisis led to the first Lancaster House conference in 1960 at which the African delegation sought a new constitution for Kenya
At the Lancaster House conference, the ban on nationwide African political parties was lifted and the African delegation agreed to form the Kenya African National Union (KANU). Ngala was appointed to the committee which drafted KANU's constitution and at a meeting held on May 14 1960 in Kiambu
Kiambu
Kiambu is a town in Central Province, Kenya. It is located at around , in the elevation of about 1,720 m. It has an urban population of 13,814. It is the capital of the Kiambu District, which bounds the northern border of Nairobi...
he was elected as the party's treasurer.
Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU)
After the formation of KANU a number of smaller parties formed which represented the interests of minority tribes. At a meeting of the leaders of these parties held in Ngong on June 25 1960, the Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) was formed with Ngala as its leader, in opposition to KANU.At the 1961 legislative council elections
Kenyan legislative election, 1961
General elections were held in Kenya in February 1961. The result was a victory for the Kenya African National Union, which won 19 of the 33 elected seats. In addition, a further 20 seats were reserved for minotity communities and 10 for appointees.-Results:...
KADU led by Ngala won 11 seats to KANU's 19, however the leaders of KANU refused to form any government until Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyattapron.] served as the first Prime Minister and President of Kenya. He is considered the founding father of the Kenyan nation....
was released from house arrest. KADU under Ngala agreed to form a government and Ngala became Leader of Government Business and later Chief Minister.
Jomo Kenyatta was released from house arrest later in 1961 and became president of KANU. Under Kenyatta's leadership KANU won 83 of the 129 seats in the national assembly at the 1963 elections
Kenyan legislative election, 1963
General elections were held in Kenya between 18 and 26 May 1963, the last before independence later in the year. The result was a victory for the Kenya African National Union, which won 83 of the 124 seats in the House of Representatives and 18 of the 38 seats in the Senate...
.
On 12 November 1964 six key members of KADU crossed the floor to KANU.
The leaders of KADU, including Ronald Ngala, Masinda Muliro and Daniel arap Moi decided to dissolve KADU and join KANU.
Post-Independence
Ronald Ngala was made Minister of Cooperatives and Social Services in the Kenyatta government.He went on to become one of KANU
Kenya African National Union
The Kenya African National Union, better known as KANU is a political party which ruled Kenya for nearly 40 years after its independence from British colonial rule in 1963, until its electoral loss at the end of 2002...
’s vice-presidents at the 1966 Limuru Conference in which Oginga Odinga was ejected from KANU.
Ngala remained active in the government until he died in a road accident in 1972.
The circumstances of Ngala's death in 1972 were suspicious, but nobody was arrested or charged, and there was no inquiry.
Sources
|url=http://www.statehousekenya.go.ke/hist/1960.htm|title=KANU Formation and the 1960s
|publisher=State House of Kenya
|accessdate=2011-09-09}}
|url=http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/ken1963results.htm
|title=Kenya: 1963 House of Representatives election results
|publisher=Electoral Institute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa
|accessdate=2011-09-10}}
|url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=1jVK1gD6G1QC&pg=RA1-PA2784
|title=Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard)
|date=1 Dec 1993 |year=1993
|volume=3 |issue=32}}
|url=http://photography.a24media.com/index.php/photogallery/prominent-faces/83-the-life-and-times-of-ronald-ngala
|title=Life and Times Of Ronald Ngala
|work=Africa 24 Media
|accessdate=2011-09-10}}