Kenya's Constitution
rr HE Colonial Secretary was wise to abolish 1. the Lyttelton constitution in Kenya. The re- fusal of the African elected members to play any part in the Legislative Council, unless their demand for fifteen. more' African seats was met, made it unworkable, and Mr. Lennox-Boyd was only recognising a failure which had been ap- parent for some time. Now, under the new con- stitution, there are to be six additional seats for African members as well as twelve seats—four for each community—which will be filled by the Legislative Council itself sitting as an electoral college.
Whether this plan will go any farther towards meeting African aspirations seems very doubtful. Mr. Lennox-Boyd did his best to get agreement, but the situation has worsened considerably since the breakdown of the Lyttclton constitu- tion. The demands put forward during October by the African elected members show a con- siderable stiffening on the part of Mr. Mboya and his colleagues. Their statement calls for adult suffrage, for an African majority in the Legisla- ture, says that there is no case for safeguards for minorities and that the White Highlands are an anachronism and must go. As the demands stand, there is no possibility whatever of the European community accepting them. Not only do they abolish the settlers' political supremacy, but they also contain a threat to their livelihood.
Mr. Mboya should remember that extremism begets extremism. The new constitution will work only if some moderation and statesmanship are shown by all those concerned in it.
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