§ 27. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the leaders of the majority parties represented in the Executive Councils of the new Legislatures of Kenya and Uganda will be given the status of chief ministers.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThere is no provision in the new constitutions for Kenya and Uganda for the appointment of a Chief Minister. I cannot at present say when this further step will be taken.
§ Mr. BrockwayDoes the right hon. Gentleman recognise—I am sure that he does—that the very important principle is involved here of the advance of these countries to the status of responsible Government? In view of the proposal of Mr. Julius Nyerere in Tanganyika that the solution for the Central African Federation would be to extend it to East Africa as soon as responsible Government is given, is it not desirable that early steps should be taken in that direction?
§ Mr. MacleodThe hon. Member is quite right in saying that this question has a relevance to the proposals of Mr. Nyerere, which, of course, interest the whole House, and have aroused widespread interest in East Africa, but in my view one cannot anticipate the results of these two elections. I do not even know, for example, whether there will be a majority party, which the hon. Gentleman assumes in his Question. I think that much the best thing for both Kenya and Uganda is to get on with the election, and then we can study the results when we know them.