existing District and certain non-voting members representing special interests, and the latter consisting of members elected by universal adult suffrage. Ministerial talks were held in London in June 1963 to consider the question of Kenya's independence. During the discussions the Kenya Ministers outlined the progress made in working out the constitution for a proposed East African Federation, which it was hoped might comprise Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda, and possibly also Zanzibar if it so wished. It was agreed that it was desirable that Kenya should become independent before a Federation could be inaugurated. A conference was held in London in September and October 1963 to settle the final form of Kenya's constitution and Kenya became an independent Member of the Commonwealth on 12th December 1963. POST INDEPENDENCE HISTORY AND THE CONSTITUTION The Independence Constitution provided for a Governor-General to be appointed by Her Majesty The Queen and a Parliament consisting of Her Majesty and a bi-cameral legislature, the National Assembly, comprising a Senate and a House of Representatives. The constitution also provided for Regional Assemblies for each of the seven regions, each with a President and a Vice-President elected from within their own membership. The Regional Assemblies were given exclusive legislative competence in some matters and concurrent legislative competence with Parliament in others. The Constitution (Amendments) Act 1964 and 1965 provided for Kenya to become a Republic with a President as Head of State, Head of the Cabinet and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, choosing his Vice-President and Cabinet from among the members of the National Assembly to whom they are collectively responsible. The President would also appoint the Chief Justice, Chief Commissioner of Police and most senior civil servants. The first President was to be the Prime Minister in office immediately before 12th December 1964 (i.e. Mr Kenyatta) and was thereafter to be chosen by a majority of members of the House of Representatives. These acts also drastically reduced the powers and financial resources given to the Regional Assemblies by the Independence Constitution. These became Provincial Councils and were eventually abolished altogether by a further amendment in July 1967. During the passage of the 1964 Amendment Act the KADU opposition party, which had favoured the regional constitution, dissolved itself and joined the governing party KANU. A further amendment in May 1965 reduced the majorities needed in the House of Representatives and the Senate to amend any clauses of the Constitution to a 65 per cent majority of all members of each House and provided that thenceforth no clauses should be specially entrenched as certain clauses had been in the Independence Constitution. Following the resignation in April 1966 of the Vice-President, Mr Oginga Odinga, and his formation of a new Opposition Party, the K.P.U. (Kenya People's Union), a Constitutional Amendment Act was passed requiring those members who changed their party allegiance to seek re-election. In the "Little General Election" held in June 1966, KANU gained a majority of the contested seats but Mr Odinga was returned to lead the KPU, later recognised as the official Parliamentary Opposition. Another Constitutional Amendment Act was passed in December 1966 to enable the Senate to be amalgamated with the House of Representatives as a unicameral National Assembly with 158 elected constituency members and 12 specially elected members elected by the constituency members. The Constituency boundaries were redrawn to give each Senator a constituency including at least a part of his former district and have since remained unchanged. In June 1968 the Constitution was further amended to provide that both Presidential and Parliamentary candidates had to be nominated by a registered political party and, if opposed, elected by a popular vote. The amendment also provided that should a President die or become incapacitated in office elections for a new President should be held within 90 days during which time the VicePresident, or failing him, such Minister as might be chosen by the Cabinet would act as President. It further provided that the 12 non-constituency members would henceforth be nominated by the President. A bill to consolidate these amendments with the remaining clauses of the independence constitution was passed in December 1968. In August 1969 a system of primary elections for the selection of party candidates was introduced and later extended to local elections. In October 1969 the sole opposition party, the KPU, was banned and Kenya became a de facto one-party state. Thus in December 1969 only the primary elections to select one KANU candidate in each constituency were held, the successful candidate then being returned unopposed in the General Elections. The President, as the Presidential candidate of KANU, was also returned unopposed. In 1974 the Electoral Act was amended to make the primary elections more like General Elections with tighter control of voting arrangements. Local elections under the revised system were held on 17th August 1974 and national elections on 14th October 1974. Successful candidates in the primary elections were formally returned unopposed on 28th October and the new government announced on 31st October. The Third Parliament was sworn in on 6th November and then prorogued. Its Second Session began on 4th February 1975. Since Constitutional amendments in July 1974 and Febuary 1975 the National Assembly has debated in Swahili though bills and other documents are still in English. LAND TRANSFER AND SETTLEMENT SCHEMES From 1961 onwards several schemes for the transfer of mixed farming land from Europeans to Africans were begun to encourage African farming and agricultural development. A programme known as the Million Acre Settlement Scheme, financed almost entirely by British loans and grants, was agreed. About one million acres of European-owned mixed farming land was to be divided into small holdings and transferred to African farmers. Parallel with the million acre scheme the Agricultural Finance Corporation and Land Bank operated schemes to assist African farmers to buy European owned farms. The land transfer and settlement programme continues. To date over £42 million British grants and loans have been made available. HISTORICAL LIST PRIME MINISTER The Hon. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, MP, 12th December 1963 to 11th December 1964 PRESIDENT The Hon. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, MP, from 12th December 1964 GOVERNMENT All the members of the National Assembly belong to the Kenya African National Union, the sole political party. HEAD OF STATE President: His Excellency The Hon. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, CGH, MP CABINET Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs: The Hon. D. T. Arap Moi, EGH, EBS, MP Minister for Defence: The Hon. James Samuel Gichuru, EGH, MP Minister of State: The Hon. Mgiyu Koinange, EGH, MP Minister for Finance and Planning: The Hon. Mwai Kibaki, EGH, MP Attorney-General: The Hon. Charles Njonjo, EGH, MP Minister for Power and Communications: The Hon. Isaac E. Omolo-Okero, MP ASSISTANT MINISTERS Office of the Vice-President and Ministry of Home Affairs: Ministry of State: The Hon. H. Wariithi, MP Ministry of Finance and Planning: The Hon. A. Magugu, мr; The Hon. F. B. Tuva, MP Ministry of Lands and Settlement: The Hon. G. G. Kariuki, MP Ministry of Local Government: The Hon. O. Nyalick, Mr Ministry of Labour: The Hon. S. T. Kairo, MP; The Hon. P. Kibisu, MP Ministry of Health: The Hon. J. Njiru, MP; The Hon. Abdi I. Ares Mohamed, MP Ministry of Agriculture: The Hon. G. N. Mwicii, MP; The Hon. N. W. Munoko, MP Ministry of Works: The Hon. J. Keen, MP Ministry of Power and Communications: The Hon. D. C. N. Moss, MP; Ministry of Education: The Hon. S. K. Choge, MP Ministry of Housing and Social Services: The Hon. Dr Mrs J. Ojiambo, MP; Minister for Co-operative Development: The Hon. H. Cheboiwo, MP Ministry of Water Development: The Hon. M. Wanjigi, MP; The Hon. W. Murgor, MP NATIONAL Assembly Speaker: The Hon. F. M. G. Mati, MP Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees: The Hon. M. J. Seroney, MP Senior Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: F. W. O. Omendi PRESIDENT'S OFFICE Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT OFFICE OF MINISTER OF STATE Ministry of Finance and Planning: Permanent Secretary, N. Ng'ang'a Ministry of Commerce and Industry: Permanent Secretary: L. M. Kabetu Ministry of Lands and Settlement: Permanent Secretary: N. S. Kungu Ministry of Local Government: Permanent Secretary: J. I. Abutti Ministry of Labour: Permanent Secretary: J. I. Öthieno Attorney-General's Chambers: Ministry of Health: Permanent Secretary: J. M. Kyalo Ministry of Agriculture: Permanent Secretary: S. D. Gauthiuni Ministry of Works: Permanent Secretary: S. J. Mbugua Ministry of Power and Communications: Permanent Secretary: S. G. Ogembo Ministry of Education: Permanent Secretary: P. J. Gachathi Ministry of Housing and Social Services: Permanent Secretary: G. H. Matheka Ministry of Co-operative Development: Permanent Secretary: J. N. Oluoch Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Permanent Secretary: L. O. Kibinge Ministry of Natural Resources: Permanent Secretary: J. H. O. Omino Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife: Permanent Secretary: Y. Komora Ministry of Information and Broadcasting: Permanent Secretary: D. M. Mbela Ministry of Water Development: Permanent Secretary: J. Kibe Ministry of East African Community Secretariat: Permanent Secretary: P. Kihara DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION KENYAN REPRESENTATIVES IN OTHER High Commissioner in the United Kingdom: COMMONWEALTH HIGH COMMISSIONERS United Kingdom: Sir Antony Duff, KCMG, Nigeria: Mr L. S. M. Osobase; Swaziland: Mr S. M. Kunene; Malawi: Mr F. W. N. Ntonya: Cyprus: MrF. A.Grammenopoulos: Australia: Mr W. P. J. Handmer; India: Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh: Zambia: Mr M. Ngalande; Sri Lanka: Mr W. T. Wijekulasuriya; Lesotho: Mr P. M. J. Resekoai L LESOTHO ESOTHO lies between latitudes 28° 35′ and 30° 40′ S. and longitudes 27° and 29° 30′ E. It is a mountainous country wholly surrounded by South Africa, with Natal to the east, Cape Province to the south and the Orange Free State to the north and west. Out of the total area of 11,716 square miles, about one-third lying along the western and southern boundaries, is classed as 'lowland' and is between 5,000 feet and 6,000 feet above sea level. The remainder of the country, the 'highlands', is mostly between 7,000 feet and 9,000 feet above sea level. The two main mountain ranges are the Maluti Mountains and the Drakensberg range, which run from north to south. The Maluti, in the central part of the country, are spurs of the main Drakensberg range, which they join in the north forming a high plateau. The highest mountains are in the Drakensberg range, which forms the border with Natal, where Cathkin Peak, Giant's Castle and Mont-aux-Sources are all over 10,000 feet high. The highest mountain is Thabana Ntlenyana, 11,425 feet high. Two of the largest rivers in the Republic of South Africa, the Orange and its tributary the Caledon, have their sources in the mountains of Lesotho. The climate is generally healthy and pleasant. Rainfall is variable and averages about 29 inches a year over the greater part of the country. Most of the rain falls during the summer months between October and April but there is normally no month which has less than half an inch of rain. The winters are normally dry with heavy frosts in the lowlands. Temperatures in the lowlands vary from about 32-2°C (90°F) in summer to a minimum of-6.7°C (20°F) in winter. In the highlands the range is much wider and temperatures below freezing point are common. Snow falls frequently in the highlands in winter but only rarely in the lowlands. The results of a census taken in 1966 show a total population present in the country of 852,000 persons. The number of persons believed to be absent from Lesotho at the time of the census was 115,000, giving a total population of 967,000 persons. Of the 852,000 people in the country in 1966 the census shows that 849,986 were African, 1,593 European and 799 Asiatic. The Europeans are mainly civil servants, traders and missionaries and the Asiatics are mainly traders. The African population has more than quadrupled since an early census taken in 1891. The language of the Basotho is Sesotho (or southern Sotho). Some small tribal units speak also vernaculars of the Nguni group, including Zulu and Xhosa. The official languages are English and Sesotho. About 70 per cent of the population are Christians. The non-Christians hold to their traditional beliefs. Lesotho is divided into nine districts, each with the same name as the district town; Butha-Buthe, population 55,000, Leribe, population 139,000; Berea, population 100,000; Maseru, population 182,000; Mafeteng, population 103,000; Mohale's Hoek, population 97,000; Quthing, population 65,000; Qacha's Nek, population 57,000; Mokhotlong, population 55,000; the capital is Maseru with a population estimated in 1968 to be 14,000. There are three weekly scheduled air flights (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) from Johannesburg to Maseru and back. Apart from the Maseru airfield, there are some thirty airstrips in Lesotho, the main ones being at Mokhotlong, Sehonghong, Semonkong and Qacha's Nek. Most of these are suitable only for the lightest type of aircraft. The country is linked for passenger and goods |