“Kenya Not To Be Another Congo”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29516, 18 May 1961, Page 15

“Kenya Not To Be Another Congo”

iN.ZS'.A.-Reuler —Copyright) LONDON, May 17. Two Kenya farmers said in London yesterday that the British Colonial Secretary (Mr lain Macleod) had assured them there “damn well was not going to be another Congo in Kenya.”

The two men, Philip Bradley Scott and David Broach, said they represented between 70 and 80 per cent, of the 3400 farmers in Kenya. They were in London "fighting for their survival” against what they termed as a “serious” renewal of the Mau Mau threat in the colony.

They told a press conference that, in the last month, hatred had been building against the European in Kenya, and if the colony were given its independence while this feeling persisted, an even greater hatred would result. Mr Scott said that unless the Mau Mau hatred could be rooted out the white farmers would have to leave. There was no evu nee to confirm that the perpetrators of recent crimes of violence in Kenya were inspired by or owed allegiance to MaMau or any similar centrallydirected illegal organisation, said Mr Macleod.

Hg- was answering questions In the House of Commons about sc:urity measures.

A Reuter message from Nairobi reported that Mr Tom Mboya, general secretary of Kenya’s biggest political party—the Kenya African National Union—today condemned the curfew imposed on Africans in the Rift Valley.

This curfew was enforced after the murder of Mrs Norah Osborne on May 5. Police at Nairobi said earlier today that a Kikiyu had been charged with Mrs Osborne’s murder. At a press conference yesterday. Mr Mboya alleged that curfews were operated , on the basis of racial discrimination and always aimed at Africans.

"This suggests that when there is a crime if you had a black face you were suspeet, but if you had a white of brown skin you were not,” he added.