On this day 28 years ago there was indiscriminate pillaging and vandalism in Nairobi. At 3.30am on the preceding day, rebels from the Kenyan Air Force had seized the radio station and post office and announced that they had taken over the country. In many African countries whoever controls the radio station controls the country, and after several hours of fighting government forces managed to recapture the radio station and quell the coup. Fighting continued for several more days at the Nanyuki air base.
Daniel arap Moi had become president of Kenya in 1978 following the death of president Kenyatta. The country’s economy was struggling, and the salaries of the civil service, police force and armed services were being paid late or not at all. There was a growing feeling of discontent with the new president’s performance, and various politicians, lawyers and intellectuals began trying to form an opposition party.
Moi responded by cracking down on suspected dissidents, who were arrested by the secret police. This simply led to more discontent and, ultimately, to the almost-successful coup attempt by air force personnel. Initially the armed forces seemed to be undecided as to whether they would support the president or the coup leaders, but they came down on the side of the president, and the coup was suppressed.