The
Rise of African Nationalism in Kenya
Introduction: What is
African Nationalism? Nationalism can be
defined simply as a feeling of belonging and commitment; by an individual or
groups of people to the geopolitical area they defined as their motherland. A
nationalist therefore is an individual who has such strong feelings for his
country that he or she is ready and willing to defend that country and keep out
foreigners who might want to occupy it or interfere with it in any way. If the
country has already been occupied by foreigners, the nationalist will do
everything possible to get them out: This feeling of belonging to one country
may be based on shared cultural, historical, political and other experiences
which bind the people in a country together and make them feel that they have
something unique in common which makes them different from others. Although
nationalism has been said to have begun in Europe after the collapse of
feudalism, it is quite evident that nationalism as defined above has existed
among different societies and communities through the ages. For example,
members of an ethnic group occupying a distinct geographical area and having
their own government usually develop a strong feeling of belonging to that
group as opposed to any other group. This could be called ethnic nationalism.
Nationalism has to do with one's identification with people with whom he shares
similar geographical, political, cultural and other experiences such as
history. In the African context, nationalism has been defined as a feeling of
national consciousness, awareness by people that they are members of a nation
state created by the colonial powers. These people have been subjected to the
same colonial experience, an experience that made them develop a feeling and
sense of belonging to one and the same group. Nationalism in Africa was
expressed in anti-colonial terms as the desire for freedom from colonial rule.
Colonial powers had imposed an alien rule over the African people and this was
rejected right from the start as an illegitimate system. Besides its
illegitimacy colonial rule was also harsh and repressive and this made it even
more detestable. All these experiences made Africans come together in defiance
of the imposed system.
In the Kenyan context the people of Kenya,
though from diverse etlmic backgrounds had a strong feeling of belonging to the
colonial nation state of Kenya, They felt committed and proud in this nation
and developed a strong desire to liberate it from colonial power, Britain. This
nationalism developed among the people of Kenya because they shared the same
colonial experience, the same geographical area and adopted many aspects of
English culture. Several factors accounted for the rise of African nationalism
in Kenya, namely:
The
Kipande System
The Kipande system, which compelled all
adult male Africans in the country to carry an identity card wherever they
went, was introduced in 1915. However it was not enforced until 1920 by the
Native Registration Ordinance.
It was racist in the sense that only Africans
had to carry it. Moreover, it had to show the name of the carrier's employer
and this was seen as an attempt at forcing the Africans to provide cheap labor
to the European settlers.
The
great Depression
The
1920's and 1930's witnessed the Great Depression, which resulted in serious economic
hardships in the country. Prices of many commodities rose, and yet the colonial
government proposed wage reductions for African workers of up to thirty per
cent. This caused hardships to Africans. Redundancies were rampant,
unemployment rose further worsening the situation.
Forced
Labour
From
the beginning of the colonial rule compulsion had been used in order to obtain
cheap labour for the construction of colonial government administrative posts,
roads and for the European settlers.
The in 1918 the Governor Sir Edward Narthey, issued a circular to the effect
that all chiefs must supply a given number of force to obtain the required
number. This policy made Africans resistant and rebellious to colonial chiefs.
Rapid
Change of Currency
Between 1920 and 1921 the official currency
changed twice.
The
rupee was first changed to the florin and then shortly after, the shilling was
introduced.
This
not only caused anxiety among the people but also led to loss of savings.
The
Change of the Country's Status
In
1920s the British government changed the official status of the country from
the British East Africa Protectorate to Kenya colony. The Africans were
uncertain about the future and they felt more insecure in a colony than in a
protectorate.
The
issue of female circumcision
The
issue of female circumcision contributed a lot towards African nationalism in
the 1920s and 1930s; the missionaries expelled circumcised girls from their
schools together with other African people who supported the practice and other
traditional values like polygamy. Africans had no alternative but to establish
their own independent schools and churches. This movement was stronger among the
Agikuyu.
There
was by then a large number of mission educated Africans, to organize the
nationalist political association. These educated young men working and living
together in the urban included the wage earners and the elite urban dwellers.
Political
Organisations The kikuyu Association (K.A)
This was formed in 191.9 by Paramount Chief
Kinyanjui (Patron) and Chief Koinange wa Mbui (President). Its aim was to ask
for the return of the alienated Agikuyu lands and to seek an assurance that no
more of their land would be alienated. In 1921, the association sent a
memorandum to the government asking for a meeting to discuss the two issues.
They were granted a baraza on June 24' 1921 at Dagorett at which the speaker
also condemned forced labour, but and poll taxes and Kipande System. They also
asked for land title deeds as a means of ensuring security of tenure. The
Kikuyu Association was basically a grouping of conservative colonial chiefs. It
was mild in its demands and wished to restrict itself to constitutional method
in attempt to improve the conditions of the Agikuyu.
The
Young Kikuyu Association (YKA)
It
was formed in June 10, 1921 by Harry Thuku in order to present the views of the
younger generation at the June 24 Dagoretti baraza. It demanded land title
deeds, abolition of the Kipande System and opposed the reduction of African
wages.
The
Young Kikuyu Association differed with the Kikuyu Association over the latter
co-operation with the colonial government and was more radical. YKA changed its
name to East African Association.
Alienation
of Land
In
addition to the already alienated white highlands, the colonial government
alienated land around Kakamega following the discovery of gold in that area in
the early 1930s. This was a thickly populated African Reserve. The colonial
government dispossessed many people from the area as they embarked on the
exploitation of the precious mineral. This stirred great discontent among the
people.
Compulsory
Destocking
In the mid-1930s the colonial authorities
introduced compulsory destocking campaigns in some parts of the country
particularly in Ukambani. This was a soil — conservation exercise but many
Africans viewed it as a measure aimed at supplying cheap livestock for
slaughter to the newly opened meat factory at Athi River town.
Other
grievances pre-dating 1920s In addition to the above factors there were other
grievances predating the 1920s e.g. the discriminatory but tax and the ban on
the Africans from growing cash crops and raising grade cattle.
Furthermore
there was racial discrimination and segregation against Africans. Africans were
denied civil and political rights e.g. they were not allowed to vote .they were
not represented in the Leg Co. they were denied employment as middle or senior
civil servants. They were segregated in school, hospitals residential areas,
restaurants etc.
The
East Africa Association (EAA)
It was formed on 1st July 1921 by former
members of the Y.K.A as the first nationwide political party in the country.
Among other things, it addressed itself to the change of the country's status
from protectorate to colony, the reduction of the wages of African workers,
forced labour, but tax, the Kipande System and land alienation.
It
also demanded African representation in the Legco, election on a common voter's
roll and an expansion to the education facilities for Africans.
The
colonial government was so alarmed by the radicalism of the EAA that on March
14th 1922 they arrested its president, Harry Thuku and charged him with
incitement and sedition. Violent demonstrations broke out in Nairobi, with
people demanding Thuku's release. Many were shot dead outside the central
police station and others wounded. Thuku was deported to kismayu and the EAA
banned.
The
association, however, had some achievements: the authoritarian governor„ Sir
Edward Northey, was withdrawn from the country; a missionary Dr. John Arthur
was nominated to represent African interests in the Legco.
And
the Devonshire White paper recognized that Kenya was an African country and the
interests of Africans were paramount. Besides, the massacre of demonstrators
attracted international attention to the country and forced the colonial
government to at least pay up service to African interests.
The
Young Kavirondo Association
It was founded on Dec, 23rd. 1921 at a meeting
held at Gem by the teachers and former students of the Maseno School. The
officials were Jonathan Okwiri (President) and Benjamin Owuor (Secretary and
Simon Nyende (Treasurer).
They
sent a petition to the Chief Native commissioner over the following demands:
autonomy for Nyanza province, abolition of the Kipande system, reduction of but
and poll taxes, title deed for African land owners, an end to forced labour and
the disbandment of labour recruitment coups in the region; the rescinding of
the new colony Q1 Status for the country an expansion in education facilities
for the Africans and the appointment of paramount chiefs.
The
colonial government expressed concern over these demands. In July 1923,
following request from the government, Archdeacon Owen of the Maseno Diocese
assumed the presidency of the YKA and transformed it from a political party to
a mild welfare association.
The
Kavirondo Tax Payers Welfare Association (KTWA) It was formed in July 1923,
when Archdeacon Owen of the CMS Maseno Diocese took over the presidency of the
YKA. The P.0 and DCS in Nyanza were the other officials in addition to J.
Okwiri et al. The KTWA concentrated its attention on social and welfare issues
like education on and hygiene. It also called for a demarcation of African
reserves and the provision of title deeds to African land — owners. The
association further opposed forced labour. It sought co-operation with the
colonial authorities and appeared for racial harmony. It shed away from mass
political rallies and used only memoranda in its demands.
The
Kikuyu Central Association
This was the most dynamic of all the inter-war
African political Associations. It was founded in 1924 at Kahula in Muranga by
Joseph Kangethe (president), Jesse Kariki (Vice President), Henry Gichuru
(secretary) and Job Muchuchu (Treasurer). Its demands included the return of
lienated land, an end to the restriction on the growing of cash crops, the need
for the translation of laws into the Gikuyu language, the expansion of medical
and educational facilities and the release of Harryg Thuku. In 1927 nthe
association transferred its HQ to Nairobi. Jommo Kenyatta became its secretary
in 1928 and in 1929 editor of its magazine Muigwithawa.
In 1929 and again 1931 Kenyatta was sent by
the association with petitions to the colonial Secretary in London. During the
1930s, the KCA actively involved itself in the establishment of independent
schools and churches.
The
Ukamba Members Association (UMA)
It
was formed in Dec. 1937 by Muindi Mbingu (President) and Elijah Kavula (Vice
President) and Isaac Mwalonzi (secretary) at Ngelani in Iveti. Its most
celebrated activity was tge 1938 opposition to compulsory destocking as a means
of controlling soil erosion. On 29th July, 1938, Muindi led over 2000 people
with their livestock in a long protest march from Machakos to Nairobi.
The Akamba interpreted destocking as an unfair
means of forcing them to supply slaughter cattle to Liebig Meat Factory ast
Athi River town. On 4th October, 1938, Muindi was arrested for his part in the
protests march and deported to Lamu, where he was confined until 1946. However,
the destocking campaign was officially abandoned on 1st Dec. 1938.
The
Taita Hills Association (THA)
This
was formed at Voi by Mengo Woresha (President) and Jimmy Mwambichi (Secretary)
to demand the return of alienated Taita lands and economic development. In Feb
1940, the THA organized a four-day strike at Voi to protest against a proposed
destocking campaign. The association leaders were arrested and deported to
Kapenguria. However, destocking was abandoned.
The
Coast African Association
It was formed in 1943 in Mombasa to champion
the welfare of the Africa people in Coast Province. Between 1943-1948 the CAA
sent several memoranda to the government demanding: the placement of illiterate
chiefs with educate Africans in the LNCS, appointment of African administrative
officers, and expansion of African education, especially the upgrading of
Shimo-la-Tewa to a high school with the exception of KTWA, these associations
were proscribed in May 1940 because of the Second World War.
The
Struggle for Independence in Kenya (1939-1963)
Kenya experienced a sharp increase in Africa
nationalism after the Second World War; resulting in an intensification of the
struggle for independence several factors were responsible for this.
1.
The
Atlantic Charter. Signed in 1941 between the British
prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, and the President of the U.S.A.,
Franklin Roosevelt, stated that from the end of the War all peoples of the
world should have the right to choose the type of government under which they
would wish to live.
2. The experience of the
African Soldiers in the Second World War.
These greatly increased their political awareness, after the war, the
demobilization of the soldiers left thousands of unemployed and disgruntled
Africans who took the lead in political agitation
3. The Independence of India and Pakistan in
1947. This encouraged Kenyans in their
determination to de free.
4. The emergence of new
Super-powers. The U.S.A. and the USSR emerged as
the new most powerful nations and campaigned for independence of the colonized
countries.
5. The emergence of the
UNO: through this body many countries lobbied
for independence of the colonized people.
6. The unbanning of
African political activity. Africans were allowed
again to inform political associations after the war.
Political
and Military Organization
The Kenya African Study
Union (KASU) and the Kenya African Union (KAU)
The
Kenya African union was founded on Oct. 1st, 1944 by Harry Thuku (president).
Its aims were two-fold: to advise Eliud Mathu on the grievances of Africans
which he could rise in the Legco, and to provide a country wide organization
for the advancement of African interests.
In Nov. 1944, the Governor persuaded Thuku to
change the name of the union (KASU) making it a mere debating club to discuss
African social welfare. This annoyed some members and in January 1945 they
denounced Harry Thuku as a loyalist and forced him to resign.
At
the second annual delegate's conference held in Feb, 6th 1946, KASU reverted to
its original name and declared its new aims as being to:
> Unite all the African people in the
country.
> Demand the introduction of democracy.
>
Fight for equal rights for all Africans.
On
1st June 1947, Jomo Kenyatta was elected President of KAU. He revitalized the
union by making it a mass political party with branches all over the country;
its aims and demand were expanded to include the following for Africans:
➢Self-government.
>
More seats in the Legco.
>
More land for their use.
>
Abolition of the Kipande System.
> Improvement of the working and housing
conditions.
➢
Equal pay for equal work.
On
June 10 1951, KAU demanded independence within three years and Achieng Oneko
represented the Union at a UN conference in Paris, where they called for an
urgent solution to land shortage for an urgent solution to land shortage for
Africans in a petition entitled "Land Hunger in Kenya". In 1951,
radical members of the branch of KAU began to administer oaths to its members
to join the Mau Mau liberation struggle. On October 20, 1952 KAU leaders were
arrested and charged with managing Mau Mau movement and emergency was declared.
On June 8, 1953, KAU was proscribed.
