When were Africans first appointed to Kenya’s Legislative Council?

Africans were first appointed to Kenya’s Legislative Council in 1944, making Kenya the first East African territory to include an African representative in its legislature.1

Prior to this, despite growing political activism and demands for representation by groups such as the Young Kikuyu Association, African interests in the legislature were officially represented only by appointed council members and European unofficial members, typically missionaries. Following the initial appointment in 1944, the number of African representatives on the council was gradually increased to two in 1946, four in 1948, and eight in 1951. However, because these individuals were appointed by the governor rather than elected, these measures did not satisfy broader African demands for political equality.21