Constituency Elected Members' Organisation (Delegation) (Hansard, 5 May 1959)

§ 1. Mr. Stonehouse
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on his talks with the delegation representing the elected members of the Kenya Legislative Council.

§ 13. Mr. Brockway
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what conclusions were reached in his discussions with African and Asian members of the Kenya Legislative Council.

18. Mrs. White
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the outcome of his talks with the Kenya elected members' delegation.

§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Julian Amery)
I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT the text of the agreed communiqué which was issued after my right hon. Friend's meetings with the delegation of the Constituency Elected Members' Organisation.

§ Mr. Stonehouse
Is the Under-Secretary aware that there is general appreciation of the friendly way in which the Secretary of State received this delegation from Kenya, but can he tell us whether the constitutional conference will be held before a general election takes place in Kenya and whether the state of emergency there will soon be withdrawn?

§ Mr. Amery
That raises somewhat different questions. The state of emergency is not an easy thing to withdraw just like that. We all desire to see it withdrawn, but the Governor has to distinguish between political advance and maintenance of law and order.

Mrs. White
Can the hon. Gentleman tell us what consideration is being given to the expert advice for which the delegation asked? In particular, will he ask his right hon. Friend to bear in mind the desirability of associating some African constitutional lawyer, possibly from Nigeria, with such a body?

§ Mr. Amery
I shall certainly convey to my right hon. Friend what the hon. Lady has said.

§ Mr. Brockway
While welcoming the much better atmosphere there is now in Kenya, may I ask the hon. Gentleman if this can be carried a little further, not only by ending the emergency, but by releasing the detained and rusticated Africans? Can he say whether the Africans are to have a national political organisation?

§ Mr. Amery
As I said in answer to the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse), we must distinguish between political advance and the maintenance of order.
Following is the text of the communiqué: The Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd, has met the Kenya delegation of Constituency Elected Members of the Legislative Council twice—on 27th April and 30th April. Among the matters discussed were the Secretary of State's speech in Parliament on 22nd April. The delegation noted with appreciation the aims of Her Majesty's Government's policy as outlined in the Secretary of State's speech though they reserved their position on a number of details. In relation to the forthcoming conference, however, they asked for an assurance that no subject would be debarred from consideration. The Secretary of State confirmed that this was his intention, but 191 emphasised that Her Majesty's Government had not altered their views concerning the basic principles which they felt should continue to govern Kenya's future constitutional advance. The delegation urged that there should be no undue delay in convening the conference and that, before the conference, experts should visit Kenya to ascertain the views of the various groups and subsequently report in confidence to the conference itself. The Secretary of State noted the views of the delegation but said it would be necessary for him to hear the views of other interested parties on these matters and then to discuss them with the Governor before decisions were taken on the timing of the conference and the form of expert advice. The delegation also urged the need for an early ending of the emergency restrictions, including those operating on the formation of country-wide political associations and the holding of meetings. The Secretary of State noted the points made by the delegation, assured them that he would discuss them with the Governor and added that, since the emergency restrictions were solely designed to maintain the improvement in public order, both he and the Governor were anxious to see them removed as soon as it was clear that this would not prejudice that improvement by encouraging a trend towards violence or unconstitutional action.