70. Dr. Jegerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the communication which Mr. P. S. Wright has made to him following his expulsion from Kenya, he will now review the order made by the Governor in Council declaring him a prohibited immigrant.
74. Mrs. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what means of appeal are open to Mr. Peter Wright against the order made by the Governor of Kenya, declaring him to be a prohibited immigrant under Section 5 (1) (f) of the Immigration (Control) Ordinance, 1948.
§ 75. Mr. Fenner Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he 52W will make a further statement regarding Mr. Peter Wright, whose permission to stay in Kenya was recently terminated.
§ Mr. LytteltonMr. Wright arrived in Kenya from India in January, 1951, under a contract with the Kenya Education Department. In 1952 his political activities began to cause the Kenya Government some concern. For instance, during a visit to Tanganyika in April he expressed opinions which were highly critical of the educational policies of Kenya and Tanganyika. He was warned by the Director of Education about his activities.
In June, 1952, he attended a secret political meeting, with Jomo Kenyatta in the chair, at which leading figures in subversive politics in Kenya and Uganda were present. Mr. Wright claims that this was only a meeting of a study group and was broken up as soon as he arrived. In September he encouraged and advised Asian and African journalists and editors to oppose the pre-emergency legislation.
In view of these political activities and associations, the Government of Kenya decided to terminate Mr. Wright's contract under a clause in the contract which provides for termination on payment of one month's salary in lieu of notice.
During a search of his quarters following the receipt of information in another connection, a list in Mr. Wright's handwriting headed "Political Advisers" was found, which included his own initials. Five of the persons mentioned in the list have been detained under the Emergency Regulations, and of these five Jomo Kenyatta and three others have now been charged in court with managing, or assisting in the management of, the Mau Mau Society. A sixth was ex-Senior Chief Koinange, now charged in connection with the murder of a loyal fellow Chief, and a seventh was an Asian Communist. In addition, correspondence was found from the leader of the disturbances which took place at Makerere College in Uganda last August.
The cumulative effect of these indications was that Mr. Wright, while in Government service, was in active association with those behind the troubles in Kenya. The Government of Kenya therefore concluded that in the present state of emergency there he must either be detained or sent out of the country. The second alternative was chosen and he was 53W declared to be a prohibited immigrant under Section 5 (1) (f) of the Immigration Control Ordinance.
This decision has been confirmed by the Governor in Council. I am advised that the Ordinance does not provide for an appeal from that decision. After a careful examination of the information that has been placed before me, I see no reason to intervene in this matter.