Class notes
Amh 2020 Lecture Notes 75
- Course
- AMH2020
- Institution
- College Of Central Florida
IMPACT OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE KENYA - UGANDA RAILWAY
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IMPACT OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE KENYA-UGANDA RAILWAYWhat were the results/consequences of the construction of the Kenya-Uganda railway?
(Explain the impact/effects of the building of the Kenya-Uganda railway.)
Rapid expansion and promotion of British administration. With it, troops could easily be sent
to the trouble spots.
Infux of Asians into Kenya, who embarked on commercial activities along the railway line.
Rural-Urban migration and rise of African enterprises e.g. hawking and charcoal selling.
Development and expansion of other forms of transport and communication, including
telegraph and roads.
Increased cultural and social interaction among different races.
Rise and growth of urban centres like Nairobi, Kisumu and Nakuru, some of which
mushroomed as railway stations or residential areas.
Rapid growth of trade between the interior, the coast and the outside world.
Easy accessibility to the interior, which the railway opened up to the outside world.
Rise of the railway as a major source of revenue for the colonial authorities.
Infux and setlement of many Europeans in the interior.
Creation of jobs for many Africans and Indians.
It facilitated the evangelisation work of the Christian missionaries.
Rapid development of agriculture and industry. The railway boosted Setler agriculture and
growth of agro-based industries like four milling and milk processing.
Massive land alienation, with some communities such as the Maasai and the Nandi being
confined in reserves.
SETTLER FARMING IN COLONIAL KENYA
The period between 1900-1904 witnessed enormous infux of white setlers into the Kenya
highlands, encouraged by the colonial government.
WHY THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGED WHITE SETTLEMENT IN
KENYA
A visit to the Kenyan interior by sir Charles Eliot: the British Commissioner to Kenya, who
referred to the Kenya highlands as a Whiteman ‟s country. The colonial government therefore
,embarked on making Kenya a “Whiteman‟s country” by encouraging white farmers to form the
backbone of Kenya‟s economy.
An urgent need to exploit the Kenya highlands for agriculture.
To finance the administrative expenses of the colony without involving the British taxpayers.
To pay for the construction and maintenance of the railway.
To produce raw materials for British industries.
To counter Asian infuence in Kenya.
Suitability of the Kenya highlands for European setlement in terms of climate and soils.
FACTORS THAT PROMOTED SETTLER FARMING IN COLONIAL KENYA
Various factors enabled the White setlers to establish farms in the Kenya Highlands, such as
the following:
Adequate rainfall experienced in the Kenya Highlands.
Concessions and loans granted to them by the government.
Provision of transport facilities such as the Kenya-Uganda and Feeder railway lines and
roads.
Research services, which were started to support them.
Removal of trade tariffs and reduction of Freight charges on import and export of agricultural
inputs and products.
Access to unlimited cheap labour.
Ample land snatched from Africans and given to them by the government.
HOW THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT FACILITATED SETTLER FARMING IN KENYA
Banning of Africans from growing cash crops and keeping exotic animals in order to
eliminate any competition for labour, land and markets.
Promotion of cooperatives and provision of extension services for crop and animal farming,
e.g. The establishment of the Department of Agriculture and research stations for crops and
animals.
Building and maintenance of infrastructure i.e. development and expansion of road, railway
and telegraphic services among other forms of transport and communication.
, Enactment of Labour laws to force Africans to work in the White farms.
Imposition of taxes (Hut and Poll tax) to compel Africans to provide wage labour.
Setng up of a Land Bank to give credit to White farmers.
Protection of setlers against possible African rebellion.
Establishment of Agro-based industries, which created a ready market for setlers ‟ produce.
Establishment of African reserves in remote and underdeveloped areas to deprive them of
markets for their produce, thus forcing them to look for employment in White setler farms.
The Northey circulars of 1918 and 1919, which required chiefs to supply labour recruits for
setler farms and government projects.
The Squater system, which ensured that Africans residing on setler farms provided the
required labour in return for small plots where they practised subsistence farming.
PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY WHITE SETTLERS IN COLONIAL KENYA
Pests and diseases.
Shortage of capital, which hindered procurement of farm inputs, machinery and labour.
High operational costs.
Alien climates and soils.
Constant raids by local inhabitants e.g. the Maasai, Nandi and Agikuyu.
Difculty in marketing, particularly in the inter-war period (from the 1920s to the 1930s),
characterised by price fuctuations.
African unwillingness to provide labour.
Transport problems due to inadequacy of roads and railways.
Poor farming methods i.e. lack of basic farming knowledge and experience.
MAIN CROPS CULTIVATED IN COLONIAL KENYA
Coffee in the Kenya highlands around Nairobi.
Tea in Limuru and Kericho.
Wheat in the Rif Valley.
Pyrethrum in the cool places.
Sisal in the drier areas near Machakos and at the coast.
Coton in Nyanza.
, COFFEE
This perennial plant (coffee) was introduced in Kenya in 1889 and was grown only by
wealthy European setlers as it required plenty of farm input.
In spite of shortage of capital, chemicals and labour, coffee cultivation continued to spread,
especially afer the founding of the Coffee Planters Association in 1908.
Until 1937, Africans were not allowed to grow coffee because, as the setlers claimed:
African labour would not be available for European farms.
African-grown coffee would be pron to diseases, which would easily spread to European
farms.
Africans would bring unnecessary competition to a market that should be monopolized by
Europeans.
African lack of knowledge in coffee cultivation would lower the quality of Kenyan coffee.
WHEAT
This was brought to Kenya in 1903, but it thrived as a crop from 1912.
Wheat farming was boosted by Lord Delamere‟ s establishment of a four mill (Unga
Limited) in 1908. wheat was cultivated in the Nakuru and Uasingishu areas. To increase
production, the government imposed a 30% Import duty on wheat four and subsidised local
Wheat farming. It was only afer independence that African farmers began to grow wheat.
SISAL
Sisal was introduced in Kenya from Tanganyika in 1893 and was initially cultivated around
Thika in 1904. By 1920, it was the second-largest income-earning crop afer coffee.
Major sisal growing areas were: Baringo, Koibatek, Oldonyo Sabuk, Ruiru, Thika,
Murang‟a, Voi, Taita and Taveta.
Africans started growing sisal in 1964. However, sisal later on faced stiff competition
following the introduction of artificial fibres.
TEA
This Beverage crop was introduced in Kenya in 1903, but was not successfully cultivated until
afer 1925 when large tea estates were established in Limuru, Nandi, Kericho, Sotik, Nakuru,
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