HC Deb 20 February 1952 vol 496 cc28-9W
Mr. Fenner Brockway

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution adopted by the Kenya African Union Central Committee on 21st December, 1951, strongly opposing the system of nominating African Members of the Legislative Council and requesting that the African Members of the Legislative Council in 1952 should be elected as an experiment; and whether he will take steps to carry out this suggestion.

Mr. Lyttelton

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes." I do not propose to alter the arrangements for the appointment of the Legislative Council in 1952 to which leaders of all the Un-official groups in the Legislative Council have already agreed.

Mr. Fenner Brockway

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what protests he has received from the East African, Indian and National Congress and the Kenya African Union against the proposal to establish separate electorates for the Moslem and non-Moslem communities among the Indian electorate for the Kenya Legislative Council; and whether he will reconsider this proposal.

Mr. Lyttelton

I have received a copy of a joint resolution protesting against this Measure which was passed by the Executive Committees of these two organisations. This law has been passed by the Kenya Legislative Council after extensive and prolonged discussion and I do not propose to intervene.

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