1968 – Assassination Attempt on Tom Mboya Foreshadows Kenya’s Crisis

On May 10, 1968, Tom Mboya, a prominent Kenyan politician and architect of the nation’s independence, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Nairobi. Mboya was a rising star and potential successor to President Jomo Kenyatta, known for his Pan-African ties and U.S.-backed Airlift Program that educated hundreds of East African students abroad. The attack was widely seen as politically motivated and highlighted growing ethnic and factional tensions within Kenya’s ruling elite. Though Mboya survived this attempt, he was fatally shot a year later, triggering nationwide unrest. The May 10 event is viewed as a precursor to Kenya’s descent into authoritarianism and political violence. Mboya’s vision of a progressive, meritocratic, and Pan-African Kenya was cut short, but his influence continues to be felt in Kenyan politics and educational reform.