Britain and Kenya’s Constitutions, 1950–1960 By Robert Maxon

Chapter 2

Background to Constitution Making and Decolonization in the 1950s

The background to constitution making and decolonization during the late colonial period may be found in an earlier decade. It was during the war years that the British government first considered a decolonization scenario for Kenya. Although never implemented, it is important to consider this episode because the justification for this proposed action, which projected self-government for Kenya’s European population, was revealing. Even more significant were the aims that the colonial power put forward for the outcome of the decolonization process. Likewise, it is important to briefly sketch the postwar political atmosphere in Kenya insofar as constitution making was concerned, given that metropolitan authorities now sought a different basis for decolonization than that considered during the war. These postwar imperial policy changes must also be considered. The statements made by the SofS in 1950 and 1951