§ 55. Mr. P. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how long the Lancaster House constitution will function in Kenya before any major change is made.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI refrain from stating a term of years because the duration of the new constitution will not depend on me alone. It will rest in large measure on whether those who will be undertaking responsibilities in the new Legislature and the new Executive will show the necessary sense of responsibility. I hope indeed that they will do so, but I feel sure that I would not be assisting their task if I attempted to state a minimum or even a maximum term of years. It seems to me that the time for a major change will come when a position is reached in which a substantial body of opinion representative of all the communities in Kenya will regard such a change as being natural and fully in keeping with performance up to that time. Kenya will then be able to take the next step with confidence in the future.