A Man of the World (African Studies, Series Number 176)

Tom Mboya was one of the most important global political figures of the age of decolonisation. Widely acknowledged to be a member of the top tier of African nationalist leaders, he was also one of Kenya's founding fathers. Using Mboya's papers in addition to several other archives, Daniel Branch demonstrates how much of his political success at home and abroad was derived from his cultivation and adept use of an extensive international network of supporters, particularly in the United States. A Man of the World explores how Mboya built this network among civil rights activists, labour leaders and political figures. Branch explores in detail the great controversies that Mboya's global network created within Kenyan politics up until his assassination in July 1969, particularly the funding he received from sources connected to the CIA. In doing so, this study sets Kenya's decolonisation in its global context and demonstrates how the Cold War influenced its outcome.