CONSCRIPTION IN KENYA [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Among
the many interesting topics discussed in the Spectator I have not yet come across one on the above subject. You have no doubt noticed references to it in the English daily newspapers in connexion with Mr. Mander's questions in the House and the Colonial Secretary's reply thereto and it occurs to me that you might like to hear from one of your readers what the conscripts themselves think of the enforce- ment of the Kenya Defence Force Act of 1927.
Needless to say, it is the most unpopular Act which has been passed, and before the enforcement order which was issued last month there were only about 100 members of the Defence Force in Nairobi and most of these were young members of Government Departments upon whom pressure was brought to bear. During April about three hundred and fifty men under thirty were compelled to enrol and efforts are being made to bring in the remaining hundred odd men who have until now resisted all efforts to bring them in.
These figures are for Nairobi alone and do not include men over thirty. In Mombasa, I understand, there are over 50 per cent. of the men still out and an appeal is being made to the Governor to revoke the Ordinance, but there is little hope of that unless the Home Press brings Kenya into the limelight. We do not wish to see our colony ridiculed abroad, nor do we wish to see such headings in the newspapers as : KENYA PREPARES FOR WAR NATIVE UNREST IN OUR EAST AFRICAN COLONIES, &c., but these things will happen unless the Ordinance is revoked in the near future.—I am, Sir, &c., E. E. T wirenisr.
c/o Standard Bank of South Africa, Ltd., Nairobi, Kenya Colony.
P.S.—The Kenya Defence Force is at the moment more in I he limelight than any other subject out here. We have not been given an opportunity of voting on the subject—if we were. I estimate that 80 per cent. would vote against com- pulsory military training in peace time.
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