Birth of Jomo Kenyatta
Birth of Jomo Kenyatta
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Jomo Kenyatta Biography and Timeline
Follow Jomo Kenyatta through 74 dated historical records for Kenya.
Jomo Kenyatta, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
74Distinct records
1 of 2Page
1894–1953Years on this page
1894
1928
Kikuyu Central Association
Nationalists form the Kikuyu Central Association with Jomo Kenyatta as leader
1932
Comintern
Studies economics in Moscow at the Comintern school
Education
Studies economics in Moscow at the Comintern school
1934
Education
Enrolls at University College London
1935
Education
Studies social anthropology under Bronislaw Malinowski at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics (LSE)
Studies social anthropology under Bronislaw Malinowski at the London School of Economics
1946
Pan-African Federation
Kenyatta founds the Pan-African Federation with Kwame Nkruma
1947
Kenya African National Union (KANU)
Helps found KANU, a nationalist group seeking political rights for black
Party Leader
Appointed Party Leader of the KANU
1950
EATUC
The EATUC officers call for a general strike that paralyzes Nairobi for nine days
General Strike
The EATUC officers call for a general strike that paralyzes Nairobi for nine days
Independence of Kenya
The EATUC officers call for a general strike that paralyzes Nairobi for nine days
Mau Mau
The EATUC officers call for a general strike that paralyzes Nairobi for nine days. Following a demand for Kenyan independence on 1 May 1950, the leadership of the EATUC is arrested. Broken only after 300 workers had been arrested and the British authorities made a show of overwhelming military force
Strike
The EATUC officers call for a general strike that paralyzes Nairobi for nine days
1951
Independence of Kenya
The urban radicals capture control of the formerly loyalist Nairobi KAU by packing KAU meetings with trade union members then create a secret Central Committee to organize the oath campaign throughout Nairobi
KAU
The Central Committee quickly forms armed squads to enforce its policies, protect members from the police, and kill informers and collaborators
KAU
The urban radicals capture control of the formerly loyalist Nairobi KAU by packing KAU meetings with trade union members then create a secret Central Committee to organize the oath campaign throughout Nairobi
Oath
The urban radicals capture control of the formerly loyalist Nairobi KAU by packing KAU meetings with trade union members then create a secret Central Committee to organize the oath campaign throughout Nairobi
Election
The Nairobi radicals attempt to take control of the national KAU at a countrywide conference, but are outmanoeuvred by Jomo Kenyatta, who secures the election for himself
Independence of Kenya
Pressure from the radicals forces the KAU to adopt a pro-independence position for the first time
KAU
The Nairobi radicals attempt to take control of the national KAU at a countrywide conference, but are outmanoeuvred by Jomo Kenyatta, who secures the election for himself. Pressure from the radicals forces the KAU to adopt a pro-independence position for the first time
Constitution of Kenya
Griffith ignores the KAUs demands and proposes a Legislative Council in which the 30,000 white settlers receive 14 representatives, the 100,000 Asians got six, the 24,000 Arabs one, and the five million Africans five representatives
Independence of Kenya
British Colonial Secretary, James Griffiths, visits Kenya, where the Kenya African Union presents a list of demands ranging from the removal of discriminatory legislation to the inclusion of 12 elected black representatives on the Legislative Council.
Independence of Kenya
Griffith ignores the KAUs demands and proposes a Legislative Council in which the 30,000 white settlers receive 14 representatives, the 100,000 Asians got six, the 24,000 Arabs one, and the five million Africans five representatives.
Independence of Kenya
Pressure from the radicals forces the KAU to adopt a pro-independence position for the first time.
KAU
British Colonial Secretary, James Griffiths, visits Kenya, where the Kenya African Union presents a list of demands ranging from the removal of discriminatory legislation to the inclusion of 12 elected black representatives on the Legislative Council
KAU
Griffith ignores the KAUs demands and proposes a Legislative Council in which the 30,000 white settlers receive 14 representatives, the 100,000 Asians got six, the 24,000 Arabs one, and the five million Africans five representatives.
KAU
The Central Committee quickly forms armed squads to enforce its policies, protect members from the police, and kill informers and collaborators.
KAU
The Nairobi radicals attempt to take control of the national KAU at a countrywide conference, but are outmanoeuvred by Jomo Kenyatta, who secures the election for himself. Pressure from the radicals forces the KAU to adopt a pro-independence position for the first time.
1952
Arrest of Jomo Kenyatta and other leaders
On the same day as the Emergency is declared, troops and police arrest nearly 100 leaders, including Jomo Kenyatta, in an operation named Jock Scott
Independence of Kenya
On the same day as the Emergency is declared, troops and police arrest nearly 100 leaders, including Jomo Kenyatta, in an operation named Jock Scott
State of Emergency
On the same day as the Emergency is declared, troops and police arrest nearly 100 leaders, including Jomo Kenyatta, in an operation named Jock Scott
Arrest of Jomo Kenyatta
Arrested and indicted with six others on the charges of "managing and being a member" of the Mau Mau Society
Mau Mau
Arrested and indicted with six others on the charges of "managing and being a member" of the Mau Mau Society
Mau Mau
The Mau Mau Uprising of 1952 to 1960 is an insurgency by Kenyan rebels against the British colonialist rule. The core of the resistance is formed by members of the Kikuyu ethnic group, along with smaller numbers of Embu and Meru. A rift is created between the white colonial community in Kenya and the Home Office in London that sets the stage for Kenyan independence in 1963
1953
Council of Freedom
The Nairobi Central Committee had reconstituted its senior ranks and renamed itself the Council of Freedom
Independence of Kenya
The Nairobi Central Committee had reconstituted its senior ranks and renamed itself the Council of Freedom
KAU
The Nairobi Central Committee had reconstituted its senior ranks and renamed itself the Council of Freedom
Trial
Found guilty of organizing a terrorist campaign to drive out white settlers from Kenya
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.