(c) crown copyright Catalogue Reference:CAB/24/187 Image ...filestore.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pdfs/small/cab-24-187...Zanzibar, has thus become a Colony, known as Kenya Oolony, in

(c) crown copyright

Catalogue Reference:CAB/24/187 Image Reference:0002

I This Document is the Property of Hit Britannic Ma)esty's Government.]

Printed for the Cabinet. June 1927.

3 0SECRET. Copy No.

C P . 179 (27).

C A B I N E T .

FUTURE POLICY IN REGARD TO EASTERN AFRICA.

Memorandum by ihe Secretary of State for the Colonies.

I HAVE taken the opportunity of the presence in this country of several Governors and other senior officials from the East African Dependencies to discuss informally with them the question of future policy in regard to Eastern Africa. During the last few years policy as regards the East African Dependencies has been largely governed by the statement issued by His Majesty's Government in 1923 (Cmd. 1922), which, while primarily designed to deal with this specific question of Indians in Kenya, dealt also, in no small degree, with East African policy as a whole.

The following is an extract from this statemeut :— " P r i m a r i l y , K e n y a i s a n A f r i c a n t e r r i t o r y , a n d H i s M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t t h i n k i t n e c e s s a r y

d e f i n i t e l y t o r e c o r d t h e i r c o n s i d e r e d o p i n i o n t h a t t h e i n t e r e s t s o f t h e A f r i c a n n a t i v e s m u s t b e

p a r a m o u n t , a n d t h a t i f , a n d w h e n , t h o s e i n t e r e s t s a n d t h e i n t e r e s t s o f t h e i m m i g r a n t r a c e s s h o u l d

c o n f l i c t , t h e f o r m e r s h o u l d p r e v a i l . O b v i o u s l y t h e i n t e r e s t s o f t h e o t h e r c o m m u n i t i e s , E u r o p e a n ,

I n d i a n o r A r a b , m u s t s e v e r a l l y b e s a f e g u a r d e d . W h a t e v e r t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n w h i c h m e m b e r s

o f t h e s e c o m m u n i t i e s h a v e e n t e r e d K e n y a , t h e r e w i l l b e n o d r a s t i c a c t i o n o r r e v e r s a l o f m e a s u r e s

a l r e a d y i n t r o d u c e d , s u c h a s m a y h a v e b e e n c o n t e m p l a t e d i n s o m e q u a r t e r s , t h e r e s u l t o f w h i c h

m i g h t b e t o d e s t r o y o r i m p a i r t h e e x i s t i n g i n t e r e s t s o f t h o s e w h o h a v e a l r e a d y s e t t l e d i n K e n y a .

B u t i n t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f K e n y a H i s M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t r e g a r d t h e m s e l v e s a s e x e r c i s i n g a

t r u s t o n b e h a l f o f t h e A f r i c a n p o p u l a t i o n , a n d t i i e y a r e u n a b l e t o d e l e g a t e o r s h a r e t h i s t r u s t , t h e

o b j e c t o f w h i c h m a y b e d e f i n e d a s t h e p r o t e c t i o n a n d a d v a n c e m e n t o f t h e n a t i v e r a c e s . I t i s n o t

n e c e s s a r y t o a t t e m p t t o e l a b o r a t e t h i s p o s i t i o n ; t h e l i n e s o f d e v e l o p m e n t a r e a s y e t i n c e r t a i n

d i r e c t i o n s u n d e t e r m i n e d , a n d m a n y d i f f i c u l t p r o b l e m s a r i s e w h i c h r e q u i r e t i m e f o r t h e i r s o l u t i o n .

B u t t h e r e c a n b e n o r o o m f o r d o u b t t h a t i t i s t h e m i s s i o n o f G r e a t B r i t a i n t o w o r k c o n t i n u o u s l y

f o r t h e t r a i n i n g a n d e d u c a t i o n o f t h e A f r i c a n s t o w a r d s a h i g h e r i n t e l l e c t u a l , m o r a l a n d e c o n o m i c

l e v e l t h a n t h a t w h i c h t h e y h a d r e a c h e d w h e n t h e C r o w n a s s u m e d t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e

a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f t h i s t e r r i t o r y . A t p r e s e n t s p e c i a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n i s b e i n g g i v e n t o e c o n o m i c

d e v e l o p m e n t i n t h e n a t i v e r e s e r v e s , a n d w i t h i n t h e l i m i t s i m p o s e d b y t h e finances o f t h e C o l o n y

a l l t h a t i s p o s s i b l e f o r t h e a d v a n c e m e n t a n d d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e A f r i c a n s , b o t h i n s i d e a n d o u t s i d e

t h e n a t i v e r e s e r v e s , w i l l b e d o n e .

H i s M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t d e s i r e a l s o t o r e c o r d t h a t i n t h e i r o p i n i o n t h e a n n e x a t i o n o f t h e

E a s t A f r i c a P r o t e c t o r a t e , w h i c h , w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f t h e m a i n l a n d d o m i n i o n s o f t h e S u l t a n o f

Z a n z i b a r , h a s t h u s b e c o m e a C o l o n y , k n o w n a s K e n y a O o l o n y , i n n o w a y d e r o g a t e s f r o m t h i s

f u n d a m e n t a l c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e d u t y o f t h e G o v e r n m e n t t o t h e n a t i v e r a c e s . A s i n t h e U g a n d a

P r o t e c t o r a t e , s o i n t h e K e n y a C o l o n y , t h e p r i n c i p l e o f t r u s t e e s h i p f o r t h e n a t i v e s , n o l e s s t h a n

i n t h e m a n d a t e d t e r r i t o r y o f T a n g a n y i k a , i s u n a s s a i l a b l e . T h i s p a r a m o u n t d u t y o f t r u s t e e s h i p

w i l l c o n t i n u e , a s i n t h e p a s t , t o b e c a r r i e d o u t u n d e r t h e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e f o r t h e C o l o n i e s b y

t h e a g e n t s o f t h e I m p e r i a l G o v e r n m e n t , a n d b y t h e m a l o n e .

2. F u t u r e C o n s t i t u t i o n a l E v o l u t i o n .

B e f o r e d e a l i n g w i t h t h e p r a c t i c a l p o i n t s a t i s s u e d i r e c t l y c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e c l a i m s o f

I n d i a n s , i t i s n e c e s s a r y , i n v i e w o f t h e d e c l a r a t i o n o f p o l i c y e n u n c i a t e d a b o v e , t o r e f e r t o t h e

q u e s t i o n o f t h e f u t u r e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l e v o l u t i o n o f K e n y a .

I t h a s b e e n s u g g e s t e d t h a t i t m i g h t b e p o s s i b l e f o r K e n y a t o a d v a n c e i n t h e n e a r f u t u r e o n

t h e l i n e s o f r e s p o n s i b l e s e l f - g o v e r n m e n t , s u b j e c t t o t h e r e s e r v a t i o n o f n a t i v e a f f a i r s . T h e r e a r e ,

h o w e v e r , i n t h e o p i n i o n o f H i s M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t , o b j e c t i o n s t o t h e a d o p t i o n i n K e n y a a t

t h i s s t a g e o f s u c h a n a r r a n g e m e n t , w h e t h e r i t t a k e s t h e f o r m o f r e m o v i n g a l l m a t t e r s a f f e c t i n g

A f r i c a n s f r o m c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n t h e C o u n c i l , o r t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o f t h e G o v e r n o r a s H i g h

C o m m i s s i o n e r f o r N a t i v e A f f a i r s , o r p r o v i s i o n f o r a s p e c i a l v e t o b y t h e C r o w n o n l o o a l l e g i s l a t i o n

w h i c h t o u c h e s n a t i v e i n t e r e s t s ; a n d t h e y a r e c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h e e x i s t i n g s y s t e m o f g o v e r n m e n t

i s , i n p r e s o n t o i r c u m s t a n c e s , b e s t c a l c u l a t e d t o a c h i e v e t h e a i m s w h i c h t h e y h a v e i n v i e w , n a m e l y ,

t h e u n f e t t e r e d e x e r c i s e o f t h e i r t r u s t e e s h i p f o r t h e n a t i v e r a c e s a n d t h e s a t i s f a c t i o n o f t h e

l e g i t i m a t e a s p i r a t i o n s o f o t h e r c o m m u n i t i e s r e s i d e n t i n t h e C o l o n y .

His Majesty's Government cannot but regard the grant of responsible self-government as out of the question within any period of time which need now be taken into consideration. Nor, indeed, would they contemplate yet the possibility of substituting an unofficial majority in the Council for the Government official majority. Hasty action is to be strongly deprecated, and it will be necessary to see how matters develop, especially in regard to African representation, before proposals for so fundamental a change in the Constitution of the Colony can be entertained. Meanwhile, the administration of the Colony will follow the British traditions, and principles which have been successful in other Colonies, and progress towards self-government must be left to take the lines which the passage of time and the growth of experience may indicate as being best for tire country."

Although only four years have passed since this document was issued by the Cabinet, events have in the meantime been moving rapidly. First of all came the visit of the East Africa Commission in 1924, and the report of that Commission, which focussed public attention, both in this country and in the various Dependencies, for the first time on the common needs and problems of the Dependencies. The report brings out the fundamental fact that the East African territories are differentiated in character from West Africa, on the one hand, and South Africa on the other, because in each and all of the territories on the East African mainland, while the native population will always, as far as can be foreseen, vastly outnumber the immigrant races, European settlement—particularly in the highland ai*eas, over 4,000 feet in altitude—has been taking place in a varying degree, with the result that, while the greater part of the area must necessarily be regarded as native, and its agricultural development must be effected by the native inhabitants, there are other areas, sparsely inhabited, where European planters and settlers are affording the main stimulus in the economic progress of the territories.

Following the Report of the East Africa Commission there took place early in 1920, in Nairobi, a Conference of the Governors of the British East Airican Dependencies. In the Report of this Conference the following observations were made on the subject of the "dual policy," i.e., the complementary development of non-native and native production.

" I f the whole country were to be hauded over to a policy of native production alone under the guidance of European administration, it would have to be constituted an economic sanctuary so as to prevent the economic needs of the outside world from forcing some other form of develop­meut upon it. For these reasons East Africa has already been committed to what is known as the dual policy—that is, to a combination of non-native and native production.

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The dual policy, however, raises considerable problems of its own. On the one hand, there is the obligation which rests on every civilised Government of raising the capacities of its human subjects to their fullest expression; on the other, there is the equally imperative duty of developing to the utmost the productive power of its possessions. This latter duty cannot be performed under any system which sacrifices the native human being to foreign exploitation of the soil. It is not possible to allocate to each area the quota of human labour required for complete commercial success. The whole problem is to arrive at a just and far-seeing method of harmonising the best progress and welfare of the native inhabitants with the maximum of production."

This Conference was the first step taken towards securing better co-operation between the administrations of territories whose boundaries are in the main the result of historical accident rather than the expression of ethnological and geographical facts.

The announcement of the holding of the Governors' Conference started a new movement on the part of the European settlers towards closer contact, and two unofficial conferences have been held within the last two years, at Tukuyu in Tanganyika and Livingstone in Northern Rhodesia respectively, which were attended by leading settlers from the various Dependencies. The desirability of federation also figured in the programme of nearly all the candidates at the recent election for the Legislative Council in Kenya. The business communities in this country who are concerned in East Africa have also, through the Joint East African Board and other­wise, indicated their interest in closer union.

Another event of some significance was the decision to readmit Germans into Tanganyika, with the result that some 500 Germans are now in the country. The presence of these persons, many of them settlers assisted, it is understood, by German funds, together with the inclusion of Germany amongst the members of the League of Nations, has caused some uneasiness both in East Africa and here. In spite of repeated declarations by Ministers, there is still anxiety in the public mind regarding the future of Tanganyika. Tho one step which would allay this anxiety and give the

greatest possible measure of security as regards the future, would be to implement Article 10 of the Mandate for Tanganyika, which, authorises the mandatory power

" to constitute the territory into a customs, fiscal and administrative union or federation with the adjacent territories under his own sovereignty or control, provided always that the measures adopted to that end do not infringe the provisions of this Mandate."

Other recent developments also point to the necessity for some closer union between the Administrations, (a.) The authority given by the East Africa Guaranteed Loan Act for loans amounting to £10,000,000 to be guaranteed by His Majesty's Government for the purpose of development in East Africa necessitates the proper co-ordination of policy in regard to railways and other transport facilities for the country as a whole, rather than the pursuit of the narrower aims of each particular territory. The construction of new lines is already bringing railway and port systems into competition with each other. (6.) There is a general movement in favour of effective co-operation between all the territories as regards research services. The Agricultural Institute at Amani is being reopened by means of contributions from each of the Governments. All the East African Governments have contributed towards the expenses of the Sleeping Sickness Commission recently sent out by the League of Nations to Entebbe, and it is proposed that the necessary measures to continue the work of this Commission shall be financed from the joint resources of the British East African Dependencies. Similarly, the problems of Veterinary research are to be dealt with on a common basis, (c.) Again, there are actually in existence identic Customs Tariffs in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, with actual Customs and postal union between Kenya and Uganda, but difficulty is experienced in establishing a complete Customs union and in preserving tmiformity in Customs administration.

I think that there can be no doubt that the statement in the White Paper of 1923 that " in the administration of Kenya His Majesty's Government regard themselves as exercising a trust on behalf of the African population, and they are unable to delegate or share this trust" should now be given a wider interpretation. It is clear that sooner or later we shall have to share the responsibilities of government in an increasing degree with the communities of our own race who make their homes in these territories. It is not conceivable that a people accustomed to the traditions of self-government at home can be denied an increasing voice in the destiny of the new countries of which they are colonists. There is the very greatest danger in a too sudden transition from Crown Colony government to responsible self-government. The real problem in East Africa as a whole is the future relation between the black and white races, and the greater the endeavour to protect the interests of the black race by the use of the autocratic power of the Imperial Government, the more is it probable that the local colonists will be forced into an attitude of hostility to that Government. Unless we can succeed in associating the resident European population in the discharge of our mission and trusteeship for the weaker races, we shall produce sooner or later a dash which will be inimical to the interests of all communities.

Quite apart from this necessity, the dual policy in regard to economic development must have its counterpart in the political evolution of the territories. Every year we are providing more educational facilities for the natives, and although in some places it may be many years before the native can take a part in representative institutions as he is doing in West Africa, his place in the body politic must be provided for, and steps taken to create the machinery whereby native self-government, at first quite local, later over larger areas, can be developed.

These considerations point in two principal directions. First, to a closer union of the several Governments with federation as the ultimate objective, and secondly, to changes in local constitutional structure which will provide both for increasing responsibility on the part of the immigrant communities and more effective machinery for native representation.

I feel that the time is ripe for taking steps to draw up a concrete scheme for the federation of at any rate Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, in such a form that ultimately it might be possible for Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland and Zanzibar to enter the federation, but it is quite clear that no form of federation would be acceptable in which the High Commissioner or Governor-General held at the same time the GoArernorship of any one of the territories. The closer association of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland with the three more northerly territories can only become a practical consideration as and when railway communications with the north, are developed. In the meantime, however, it would be desirable to consider the

possibility of some closer union and more effective co-operation between these two Protectorates themselves.

Dealing with the question of changes in local constitutional structure, political developments in the territories are very diverse and it is only necessary at this stage to point out that it will probably be impossible to carry out any federation, which will necessarily involve the loss of certain powers already enjoyed by the local legislatures, xinless some wider powers are bestowed in the matters left within local jurisdiction. In Kenya more particularly it has been increasingly demonstrated that government can only be carried on with the co-operation of the unofficial community, that pressure to extend the power of this community will undoubtedly increase as the years go by, and that such an extension will ultimately have to be conceded.

The mere grant of an unofficial majority will offer no permanently satisfactory solution since, so long as the existing system of irremovable official executives is preserved, there would be no opportunity for training the unofficial representatives in real responsibility. The proper course of development would therefore seem to be the association of representatives of the elected elements with the executive functions of Government, in such a way that elected members of the legislature will be responsible to the legislature for the work of particular Departments of Government. It will, of course, be necessary to proceed at different times and by different stages in the different territories concerned.

In any constitutional changes it will be essential to declare that the adminis­tration of the East and Central African territories is still regarded by His Majesty's Government as the exercise of a trust on behalf of the African population, and that, while they may now be prepared to associate with themselves in that trust the members of the resident immigrant communities, they will still ensure that the principles of the trust will be observed.

The responsibilities of His Majesty's Government for the territories of Eastern and Central Africa, with their 12£ millions of inhabitants, are of the very gravest character, and the possibilities of advantage to the Empire from the proper develop­ment of these areas are almost incalculable. On the other hand, the possibilities of disaster through the failure to guide that development aright are no less plainly discernible, and it is clearly wise that we should lose no time in deciding the course which our policy must pursue, if the highest interests of all concerned, of whatever race, are to be secured. At the same time, it will be a fatal error if any decisive step is taken before we have satisfied ourselves that such a step will be received with good will by those whose co-operation will be necessary for its success. Whether the time has come when some closer association of the territories can profitably be attempted can only be decided after careful study of the feelings and opinions of the native and non-native inhabitants themselves, and it would in any case be impossible to attempt to impose a federation upon them entirely from without. I therefore propose that the Cabinet should authorise me to appoint a small Commission to visit each of the territories, with the terms of reference which I indicate below, and to report after free consultation with both official and unofficial opinion on the spot. The terms of reference in themselves constitute a declaration of policy which will appropriately form a public announcement of the action which His Majesty's Govern­ment contemplate at the present time, but I should propose to issue them as a White Paper in which the main points of the above statement would be embodied.

L. S. A. Colonial Office,

June 16, 1927.

Draft Announcement.

His Majesty's Government have decided, as a result of discussions between the Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Representatives of the territories in British Central and East Africa who attended the recent Colonial Conference^ that some form of closer union between the territories of Central and Eastern Africa is now desirable, more particularly in regard to the development of transport and communications, customs tariffs and customs administration, scientific research and defence. They have

therefore authorised the Secretary of State to send to Africa a special commission with the following terms of reference :—

1. To make recommendations as to how, whether by federation or other form of closer union, more effective co-operation between the different Governments in Central and Eastern Africa may be secured, more particularly in regard to the development of transport and communications, customs tariffs and customs administration, scientific research and defence.

2. To consider which territories could either now or at some future time be brought within any such closer union, and, in particular, how best to give effect to Article 10 of the mandate for Tanganyika Territory, which provides that the mandatory may constitute the territory into a customs, fiscal and administrative union or federation with the adjacent territories under its own sovereignty or control, provided always that the measures adopted to that end do not infringe the provisions of the mandate.

3 To make recommendations in regard to possible changes in the powers and composition of the various Legislative Councils of the several territories (a) as the result of the establishment of any Federal Council or other common authority ; (6) so as to associate more closely in the responsibilities and trusteeship of Government the immigrant communities domiciled in the country ; and (c) so as ultimately to secure more direct representation of native interests in accordance with '4) below.

4. To suggest how the Dual Policy recommended by the Conference of East African Governors (i.e., the complementary development of native and non-native communities) can best be progressively applied in the political as well as the economic sphere.

5. To make recommendations as to what improvements may be required in internal communications between the various territories so as to facilitate the working of federation or closer union.

6. To report more particularly on the financial aspects of any proposals which they may make under any of the above headings.

In making the declaration of policy involved in setting up a Commission with these terms of reference, His Majesty's Government wish to make it clear that they adhere to the underlying principles of the White Paper of 1923 entitled " Indians in Kenya " (Cmd. Paper, 1922), both in regard to the political status and other rights of British Indians resident in East Africa, and also as regards the Imperial duty of safe­guarding the interests and progress of the native population as trustees for their welfare until such time as they can take part more fully in their own Government and in the common affairs of all races inhabiting the territories. At the same time they wish to place on record their view that, while these responsibilities of trusteeship must for some considerable time rest mainly on the agents of the Imperial Government, they desire to associate more closely in this high and honourable task those who, as colonists or residents, have identified their interests with the prosperity of the country.

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