Elements In Kenya For 'Another Congo’

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30313, 13 December 1963, Page 26

Elements In Kenya For 'Another Congo’

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright)

NAIROBI, Dec. 12. Kenya’s independence, which begins today, will be African nationalism’s big test. It will also be the big test for 72-year-old Jomo Kenyatta, released only last year after eight years in prison on a conviction of being implicated in Mau Mau terrorism. The test in Kenya will be the fate of the white minority and the larger Asian minority under a black government. Never before in black Africa has an African government taken over a country where the minorities are so large. Kenya's population consists of about 60.000 whites, more than 8,500.000 Africans, 18,200 Asians, mostly Indians, and about 40,000 Arabs. Among the Africans there are nearly 300 different tribes, some hostile to others. Kenya's African politicians know and are sensitive to the fact that the elements are present for “another Congo.” They are determined to prevent such a happening. More than 4000 persons, most of them Africans, attended Kenya's biggest garden party yesterday only a few hours before independence. Kenya will be Africa’s thirty - fourth independent State. The Duke of Edinburgh, representing the Queen, will hand the Prime Minister, Mr Kenyatta, the constitutional instruments of independence. The Duke yesterday praised what he called the “spectacular development” of Nairobi since his last visit there in 1952.

Mr Kenyatta said: “To us this is an important day, because it is the last on which the colonialist sun will shino on us.” He added: “Many of us did not know that this day would arrive." Alpine Climb Independence celebration* today ended with a spectacular firework display. Mountaineers climbing Mount Kenya to hoist the country’s new flag on the 17.508 ft summit could see the fireworks. They reported snowstorms near the summit. One report said the climbers had been fighting “appalling conditions." A 30-year-old mountaineer, Kisoi Munyao, has been chosen to hoist the flag. The latest report Mid the climbers were 40 feet from the summit.