African Urbanization in Kenya
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/j.1099-162X.1961.tb01254.x |
| Date | 01 January 1961 |
| Published date | 01 January 1961 |
| Author | J. M. Golds |
African
Urbanization
in
Kenya
by J. M.
GOLDS,
Assistant
Secretary,
Ministry
of
Housing,
Kenya
LAND
consolidation, which in
Kenya
has taken
place
mainly
in
the
Central
Province, is a subject
that
has been treated in a
great
variety
of
ways. Agri-
culturalists
have
written
of
the
great
improvement
it will give to
the
agricultural
production
of
the
reserve.
Marketing
experts have discussed how
the
resulting
vast increase of
production
is to be sold
and
consumed. Sociologists
have
called
it one of
the
greatest changes
of
social
environment
ever to
have
taken
place
in
any
community.
Health
authorities
have
examined its implications for them.
Now
let us examine
the
urbanization
that
has followed consolidation in
the
Central
Province
of
Kenya
- I say
Central
Province, for
here
it is likely to be
the compelling force in the
way
the African will live in
the
future.
It
is
not
likely for some time to
apply
to such a
great
extent in the
other
provinces
of
the
country, or elsewhere in
East
Africa.
During
the
Emergency it was clear
that
to
protect
the
loyalists, to
prevent
the
waverers from being forced on to
the
side of
Mau
Mau
elements,
and
to
prevent
the
active sympathizers helping
the
terrorist gangs, a form
of
concentra-
tion of
population
was essential.
Out
of
this decision
there
came
avast
and
speedy villagization
of
the
entire
Kikuyu, most of
the
Embu
and
part
of
the
Meru
population
of
the
Central
Province, causing well over amillion persons
previously living in scattered homesteads, to be housed in
1300
villages
through-
out
the
Province.
This
was a
huge
undertaking
done
at
great
speed; nevertheless,
it was extraordinarily successful. Originally the move was carried
out
with
considerable reluctance by
the
population
- fear for health, fear
of
living too
close to
the
neighbours
contrary
to custom, fear ofwitchcraft, reluctance to leave
theirlittle
farms.
It
was, however,
an
essentialstep to
end
the
Emergency
and
so it
took place, resulting, as
any
visitor to
Kenya
will
have
seen, in the
many
villages
scattered
throughout
the
Kikuyu
areas.
Then
came
the
concept
of
Land
Consolidation,
and
with
it its
many
problems.
One
of
the
most
important
related to security.
There
was obvious reluctance on the
part
of
those responsible
for
the
security
and
peace
of
the
country
to lose this very
great
control of a people
so keen on secret societies
and
who were, possibly, liable
again
to
partake
in
open
rebellion.
On
the
other
hand
there were
the
agriculturalists
who
stated
that
no one
could
farm his
land
economically whilst
away
from his farm.
Out
of
this arose
the
present
idea
of
permanent
towns,
of
which
there
are
732 being
built
in
Central
Province.
The
percentage
of
people to
remain
in towns as
listed by
the
four
main
districts in this Province is
approximately
as follows-
Fort
Hall-
60
per
cent.;
Kiambu
- 54
per
cent.;
Embu
- 36
per
cent.;
and
Nyeri -41
per
cent.
I
must
here
comment
that
the
word
'town'
is a
rather
grandiose
name
for some-
thing
which would be considered elsewhere in
the
world to be a
hamlet
or
village,
but
the
reason is very simple.
The
word
'village' was closely connected
with
the
Emergency
and
villagization was
part
of something
the
majority
wished
to forget.
Therefore
the,
word
'town'
was introduced in
an
effort to
create
a
meaning
entirely different from 'village', a new
word
that
would
make
the
24
To continue reading
Request your trial