| Chapter 2: | Background to Constitution Making and Decolonization in the 1950s |
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Governor Moore began the campaign in early 1942 as he discussed the question of closer union at the East African Governors Conference in January. Moore felt these territories could make more progress in meeting the needs of war under a single central authority.1 He and his fellow governors of Tanganyika and Uganda concluded that there was an economic case for a quick move to an East African federation. Nevertheless, the other governors recognized potential problems with such an approach. Sir Charles Dundas, governor of Uganda, maintained that “the real stumbling block” to any federation scheme for East Africa was “the very small area of European settlement” in Kenya. Just as between the wars, Dundas anticipated considerable opposition to closer union from Uganda. Africans there viewed closer union as promoting domination by Kenya’s settlers.2
Nevertheless, Moore followed up the meeting by pressing the CO for rapid action. East African federation, Moore argued, was inevitable, and there was a good deal to be said “for pleading economic exigency for making the change now.” Moore asked Dawe to bring the matter before the SofS.3
Before the CO could take the matter any further, events in Kenya caused the issue to be more urgently considered in early April. The fall of Singapore to the Japanese in February caused panic in Kenya and provoked criticism of British colonial policy from European settlers. Criticism of the CO was mixed with calls for more effective defense measures in Kenya.4 Moore responded to the situation by telegraphing Dawe, emphasizing the pressing need for some type of closer union. He thus asked for an indication of the views of the new SofS, Lord Cranborne, on the subject.5 However, CO officials were not to be rushed into closer union; rather, they suggested that a scheme that had been already approved for Britain’s West African colonies could be implemented in East Africa so the chairman of the governors conference could be given special powers to effect urgently needed measures.6
Nevertheless, the issue refused to go away: the CO was forced to examine closer union with fresh urgency in May and June. European settlers were reported to be determined that the loss of Singapore, put