Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which five issues did Jomo Kenyatta raise in his 1930 letter to The Times of London?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Jomo Kenyatta
African statesman and nationalist Jomo Kenyatta was the first prime minister (1963–64) and then the first president (1964–78) of independent Kenya.
In a March 1930 letter to The Times of London, Jomo Kenyatta outlined five key issues championed by the Kikuyu Central Association to address the grievances of the Kikuyu people under colonial rule:1
- Security of land tenure: The demand for the return of lands that had been allotted to European settlers.1
- Increased educational facilities: A call for better access to schooling for Africans.1
- Repeal of hut taxes on women: A protest against the tax, which forced some women into prostitution to earn money.1
- African representation: The need for direct representation of African interests in the Legislative Council.1
- Noninterference with traditional customs: A demand that the colonial government and missionaries respect and cease interference with traditional practices.1
Kenyatta warned that failing to address these concerns would inevitably lead to a dangerous explosion of unrest.1