Heritage

Building from where settlers ruled Kenya

bank

Bank of India.

By the beginning of the 20th century, about 600 Europeans had settled in Kenya and they had made up their minds that they were here for the long haul.

Under increasing political pressure from this small group of settlers, the British government yielded by creating a Legislative Council (Legco) in 1907.

The Legco was granted powers to make ordinances subject to the Governor’s veto and the assent of His Majesty the King. The Legco was a unicameral legislature under an incipient unitary government system — a form of minority self-government.

On Friday, August 16, 1907, Legco held its first formal sitting in an iron sheets structure along Whitehouse Road — current Haile Selassie Avenue. In attendance were six official and three unofficial members.

After World War I, the Legco enacted the Legislative Council Ordinance in 1919. Under this Order, Kenya was split into 11 constituencies, providing for the election of 11 Europeans. The first polls were held in 1920, after which consideration for provision of similar treatment of other races was initiated.

The same year, through a Kenya (Annexation) Order-in- Council, the status of Kenya also changed from the East African Protectorate to that of Colony and Protectorate.

From 1924 to 1954, the sittings of Legco took place in Memorial Hall on Sixth Avenue (current Kenyatta Avenue).

Captain Harvey formed the first orchestra in Nairobi in 1920. The idea of a Memorial Hall in honour of fallen Europeans during World War I was mooted at about the same time and Captain Harvey was largely responsible for raising funds for the building from proceeds of concerts performed by his orchestra.

Completed in 1924, Memorial Hall is situated on Kenyatta Avenue with a return frontage to Wabera and a rear elevation to Banda Streets. Built to a Georgian style, walls are made of smooth dressed grey stone, featuring a granite section up to a height of 450mm, under an iron sheets roof hidden from view by a parapet wall.

Doors are made of thick, polished wood panels hung on wrought iron hinges while windows are glazed in rectangular steel casements. The floor is finished in a combination of terrazzo and granite.

It is in this building that the highlands were reserved for the exclusive occupation of the European, later becoming the politically charged “White Highlands”. It is also from this building that the idea of native reserves emerged.

Nairobi, then becoming an exclusive European centre, was no longer a natural home for Africans, who henceforth required authorisation to live within its precincts. Legco’s law and order placed the native not just far from this chamber but very far from justice.

Memorial Hall, the symbol of settler legislature, is centrally located and on the same axis as the other administrative building, the Ministry of Native Affairs (Kipande House).

Facing the Memorial Hall is an obelisk dedicated to “our glorious dead”, obviously referring to the settlers. Interesting enough, the “Askari Monument”, commemorating Africans who died in the same war, is situated across the road as if in deference to the master.

In 1924, the Secretary of State issued an amendment to the 1919 royal instructions thus enabling the Legco to enact the Legislative Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 1924.

The amended ordinance made provision for the election of five Indians to represent the Indian community and one Arab to represent the Arab community. At the same time provision was made for a white clergyman to represent African interests since, in the opinion of the lawmakers, the African was incapable of representing himself. Accordingly, Reverend J.W. Arthur was nominated.

Elected Indian members

The elected Indian members took their seats in April 1934 and further provision was made for nomination of one more clergyman- Reverend L.J. Beecher, to represent African interests, and one more Arab to join the one elected Arab member.

Thus the Legco comprised both elected and nominated European, Indian and Arab members while African interests continued to be looked after by white clergymen. These changes were introduced to make the Legco look more representative and acceptable to all but they were still far from being equitable.

In October 1944, the government nominated Eliud Wambu Mathu to represent African interests in the Legco. Fanwell Walter Odede acted briefly from January 1946 in place of Canon Beecher until 1947, when the latter retired and was replaced by Benaiah Appolo Ohanga.

By 1948 the number of nominated African representatives had been increased to four. Governors of the colony served as presiding officers of these councils until the appointment of the first speaker in 1948.

The members of the Legco were increased by eight in 1952 — three more for Europeans, one slot for Asians, two slots for Africans and two more slots for Arabs (one elected and the other nominated).

Whereas a systematic change in the composition of the Legco can be observed where the interests of Asians, Africans and Arabs are recognised and catered for, the representation of Africans remained far from satisfactory.

It is noteworthy that the African nominees were not drawn from amongst the more vocal brigade but from those who were considered “responsible” by the Europeans and therefore suitable for the programme of gradual admission in the Legco.

Notwithstanding, the nominated African members did try to give voice to the increasing demand for enfranchisement and self-determination.

A new assembly building was completed in 1954 on Parliament Road and the business of Legco moved there, paving the way to the inevitable independence of Kenya in 1963.

On a more positive note, the Memorial Hall housed the library of the East African Women’s League from 1924 to 1964 and was often the venue for meetings of statutory bodies such as the Transport and Liquor Licensing boards.

In 1958, the building was bought by the Bank of India and converted to bank use which remains up to today. The structure is in a good state of repair and decoration. It has not been gazetted as a national monument.

As we take time to observe and reflect on this symbol of oppressive colonial legislature we are emboldened by our steadfast spirit to overcome challenges that take away our civil liberties.

The author is a retired banker and a motorcycle enthusiast.