When Tom Mboya sought to dismantle unpopular constitution

President Jomo Kenyatta chairs a Cabinet meeting at his Gatundu home following the murder of Tom Mboya in July 1969. [File]

When the mechanics of structuring the country into a modern State reached the penultimate stage, one of Kenya's polished politicians, Tom Mboya, who was a member of the Legislative Council, tried to dismantle oppressive sections of the colonial constitution.

In his characteristic rabble-rousing manner, Mboya penned his proposal to Downing Street in London on June 28, 1958, seeking to have the number of African constituencies in the Legislative Council of Kenya increased, and scrapping of the multi-racial council of State ministers.