§ 24. Mr. Wallasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Order in Council amending the Kenya Constitution contains no reference to the racial composition of the Council of Ministers set out in Cmnd. No. 960; and what bearing this has upon the future appointment of a Chief Minister.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI welcome the opportunity of making it clear that the language of the Order in Council follows normal practice in providing for the total number of Ministers and the number of those Ministers who shall be officials, and has no bearing whatsoever on the question of appointing a Chief Minister. Such an appointment would require amendment of the Order in Council. And I reaffirm that the intention remains that, in accordance with the agreement reached at the Lancaster House Kenya Conference, the new Council of Ministers shall, in addition to four officials, comprise four Africans, three Europeans and one Asian.
§ Mr. WallDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that it will be possible to make further political advance in Kenya—including the appointment of a Chief Minister—only if the African politicians play their part in restoring the confidence of all races in the future of Kenya, which confidence has recently been undermined by some of their electioneering statements?
§ Mr. MacleodThat is a different point. I was concerned to make it clear that exactly normal practice has been followed in the case of this Order in Council, which amends the 1958 Order in Council, which did not specify racial discrimination in portfolios. I agree that one essential element in political advance is that there should be confidence.