§ 4.6 p.m.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (THE EARL OF MUNSTER)My Lords, with your Lordships' permission. I should like to make a statement, similar to that made by my right honourable friend the Colonial Secretary in another place this afternoon, upon the situation in Kenya.
Mau Mau is a secret society confined almost entirely to the Kikuyu tribe. It is an off-shoot of the Kikuyu Central Association, which was proscribed for subversive activities in 1940. It encourages racial hatred and is violently anti-European and anti-Christian. It pursues its aims by forcing secret oaths upon men, women and children and by intimidating witnesses and law-abiding Africans. It resorts to murder and other brutal and inhuman methods.
Early this year Mau Mau attacks began in the Nyeri District and then spread to the Kiambu and Fort Hall Districts in the Central Province. The situation became progressively worse. Accordingly, reinforcements were brought from other areas; many arrests were made; curfews were imposed, magistrates given enhanced powers and public meetings banned in most areas. These measures proved insufficient, because African witnesses were afraid to come forward and give evidence in face of the brutal methods and vicious reprisals of the Mau Mau against them. Africans who refused to take a Mau Mau oath have had ropes tied round their necks and have been strung up from rafters until they were unconscious. Those who have informed the police have later been found murdered. Charges against over 100 persons for administering or participating in the administration of 718 Mau Mau oaths had to be withdrawn, because the witnesses had disappeared or been intimidated into changing their story.
Up to September 13 there had been 23 murders, including 2 women and 3 children, 12 attempted murders, 4 suicides, 24 hut burnings, 12 serious assaults, a church desecrated and missions attacked. That was the situation when my right honourable friend received from the Acting Governor of Kenya draft legislation designed to enable the Kenya Government to deal with intimidation and to give them greater control over secret societies. On September 16 my right honourable friend discussed this legislation and the need for it with the Attorney General of Kenya and the Chief Native Commissioner. From September 13 to September 30 there were at least 13 further murders, 3 suicides, and. a large number of European-owned cattle were slaughtered and mutilated. During October there have been further attacks, including the murder of two European women and Senior Chief Waruhiu, a Kikuyu who had served his community and the Government nobly and loyally for a great number of years. A European was seriously wounded while protecting his wife and on October 10, Lieutenant-Colonel Tulloch, seventy-four years old, and his wife were savagely attacked.
The Governor reports that since October 1, four Africans are known to have been murdered. These Africans had rendered assistance in anti-Mau Mau activities. I am pleased to tell your Lordships that Colonel Tulloch and his wife and Mr. Bindloss are all out of danger and making satisfactory progress.
The Governor has now reported that John Mbiu Koinange, son of ex-senior Chief Koinange, was charged yesterday as a principal in the murder of Chief Waruhiu. The African driver of the car and the actual gunman, so it is alleged, are charged with him. Ex-senior Chief Koinange and certain members of his family have been charged as accessories after the fact.
I feel sure your Lordships will wish me to convey your sympathy to all those who have suffered from these savage attacks. Those guilty of such crimes must be accounted the enemies of the whole law-abiding community of Kenya and 719 not least of its African members, who so overwhelmingly outnumber the lawbreakers. I wish to make it clear that Her Majesty's Government fully support the Government of Kenya in the action being taken to deal with the situation.
Of the legislation discussed with my right honourable friend, seven Ordinances were passed by the Kenya Legislative Council and assented to by the Governor on October 3. The eighth, the Societies Bill, has been referred to a Select Committee. These Ordinances give additional protection to witnesses and power to restrict the place of residence of persons associating with unlawful societies, to control traffic at night, and to control undesirable printing presses. They also increase the maximum penalties for certain offences.
§ 4.10 p.m.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, I am sure we are all grateful to the noble Earl, Lord Munster, for making this statement to-day, a replica of that made in another place. On this side of the House, we should like to associate ourselves with the good wishes which the noble Earl has expressed to those who have been assaulted and with the message of sympathy to the relatives of those who have lost their lives. From to-day's Order Paper your Lordships will see that on the 29th of this month there is to be a debate in your Lordships' House on this question. I think it will meet your Lordships' wishes if I do not press the matter further to-day, and do not ask any questions—in the circumstances that might not be very helpful—but rather wait until the debate on October 29, when the Government will have the opportunity of fully disclosing the position in all its gravity. I am sure we all feel that it is a grave situation, and we are very sorry that the Colony of Kenya has been inflicted with this trouble at the present stage of its history.
VISCOUNT MERSEYMy Lords, noble Lords on these Benches would like to associate themselves with what the noble Lord, Lord Ogmore, has just said as regards sympathy with the relatives of those who have lost their lives.