§ 27. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what requests he has received to meet leaders of political parties in Kenya during his journey to East Africa next week; and what action he proposes to take with regard to the present political deadlock in Kenya.
§ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Iain Macleod)I have received no such requests. As regards the second part of the hon. Member's Question, I 195 have nothing to add to my reply to him on 16th March.
§ Mr. StonehouseDoes the Colonial Secretary agree that the situation has improved, now that Mr. Kenyatta has asked the leaders of the Kenya African National Union to see him? Will the right hon. Gentleman still further improve the situation by taking the initiative to meet Mr. Cichuru, Mr. Mboya and Mr. Ngala, if only informally, during his trip to Nairobi?
§ Mr. MacleodI do not regard the situation as one of deadlock, although it is not easy to see how it will work out at the present stage. As for the second part of the hon. Member's supplementary question, I think it important that a Secretary of State should not appear in any way to intervene in what is clearly the Governor's affair in forming the Administration.