The Enigma of Jomo Kenyatta
RICHARDS, JOHN W.
Both Kenya's African leaders and white citizens must find the solution to THE ENIGMA OF JOMO KENYATTA By John W. Richards THE demonstrations in Nairobi on "Kenyatta Day" in October dramatized to...
...Even as it is, pressure from the extremists has caused Mboya and Gichuru, who speak like statesmen in London, to use wilder words when addressing the masses in Swahili or Kikuyu...
...This has caused the various leaders to compete vigorously for the title of He-Who-Most-Wants-Kenyatta-To-Be-Free so they will be pressed to the bosom of the master when he is released...
...If Kenyatta is not released until Kenya has achieved self-government, it might be too late...
...So far, the settlers' uproar has kept the Colonial Office from freeing JOHN W. RICHARDS is a former newspaperman who recently visited Africa to interview leading African figures...
...The uncertainty of the entire Kenya situation has caused many settlers to fear another Congo...
...The extremists are undoubtedly eager to see Kenyatta free in the hope that, embittered, he would take their racist counsel...
...he is the symbol of the African determination to be free...
...If he emerges without bitterness against his captors, this knowledge would do much to allay the fears of the Europeans and Asians...
...But is this wise...
...Still others are determined to fight for their land...
...Not only is there more likelihood that he and his African supporters will become embittered by a more prolonged detention, but there would be no effective counterforce...
...Both Kenya's African leaders and white citizens must find the solution to THE ENIGMA OF JOMO KENYATTA By John W. Richards THE demonstrations in Nairobi on "Kenyatta Day" in October dramatized to African and settler alike the problem caused by the continued detention of the alleged Mau Mau leader...
...With independence not far off, the responsible leaders realize that they must establish a working relationship with the Europeans and Asians if the economy is not to collapse...
...Some have left already...
...Jomo Kenyatta, who still languishes, some say alcoholically, in detention in the Northern Frontier Province, is more than an aging nationalist leader...
...But few indeed would dare speak out, if an embittered Kenyatta were to unleash violence after the British presence had been removed...
...Now, with the British Government guaranteeing law and order, Kenyans—Africans...
...Not a day goes by that his release is not demanded by African leaders, moderate or extreme...
...Without Kenyatta's name to invoke, they might have to prove their passion for national freedom with more extreme actions, thus widening even farther the gulf between the Africans and the other groups...
...Revered, even idolized, by Africans, and hated, if that word is strong enough, by settlers, Kenyatta is nonetheless an enigma to both...
...Detained, Kenyatta can be used as a rallying point by Tom Mboya, James Gichuru, Gikonyo Kiano and extremists like O. Odinga and Ardwings-Kodhek...
...There are many prominent Africans, in and out of politics, who now would not hesitate to counsel moderation as long as law and order is enforced by the British Government...
...It would seem obvious then that Kenyatta, who will be freed sooner or later, should be released now...
...Asian and European alike—would be able to see what nationalism under Kenyatta would be like...
...No one knows what he would do if freed...
...For if the Europeans cannot know what he might do, neither can the Africans...
...An imperious Kenyatta could, for instance, sweep away the carefully constructed Mboya organization and choose as he saw fit from among the leaders, extreme or moderate...
...What is happening now that Kenyatta is detained and what might happen if he were released...
...An index of the fear is the fact that 70 per cent of the land in the rich "white highlands" is for sale...
...Kenyatta despite the concessions steadily granted the Africans in other directions...
...This, of course, has built Kenyatta into a legend...
...The moderates can also use their campaign for Kenyatta's freedom as proof of their devotion to nationalism...
...If he comes out bent on vengeance—there is no reason to believe he will, but it is a possibility that must be considered—the British Government would have time to chart an appropriate course of action...
...Some of these leaders prefer Kenyatta safely in detention where he cannot use the emotional power over the masses that increases with every fervent invoking of his name before crowds howling the mystic word, "uhuru...
...Moderate or extreme, every African leader proclaims that he is merely acting in Kenyatta's name, that Kenyatta is the real leader, the "father" of nationalism...
...Others are overworking their land to build up cash reserves in case they have to leave in a hurry...
...Would he turn his back on the past and become a statesmanlike leader of his people, or would he be vengeful after years of imprisonment to which he was condemned after a trial that was a model neither of law nor justice...
...This would, of course, cause outraged cries of "treason" and "betrayal" from the settlers, but if they stopped to think about it, they might realize that his freedom now would be in their interest and that of the colony...
...With equal determination the settlers, whose minds were scarred by the horrors of Mau Mau, insist that even though he has served his prison term and is now detained under Kenya Colony's police powers he can never be released...
Vol. 43 • December 1960 • No. 50
