The Turning Point: Kenyatta and Malcolm MacDonald

Maloba, W. O.

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-50895-5_8

W. O. Maloba⁴

Part of the book series: African Histories and Modernities ((AHAM))

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Abstract

A critical analysis of the changes in Kenyatta’s political fortune from “leader to darkness and death” to the West’s most beloved post-colonial African leader. The astute efforts of Malcolm MacDonald, the last British governor of Kenya, who determined that prior judgments by the colonial and British intelligence services about Kenyatta had been mistaken. That Kenyatta was the ideal candidate to take over Kenya as the protector of British settlers and British imperial interests. This chapter also deals with MacDonald’s efforts to facilitate Kenyatta’s reconciliation with hitherto hostile white settlers; to dissolve the main opposition party to strengthen Kenyatta’s conservative politics; to choose an agreeable Cabinet; and to oust radical nationalists from power.

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Notes

1.
Malcolm MacDonald, Titans and Others (London: William Collins & Sons, Ltd., 1972), p. 240.
2.
Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald, p. xix.
3.
East African Standard, January 4, 1963, p. 4. For more details on MacDonald’s reputation for getting along with diverse groups of people, see East African Standard, November 19, 1962, p. 4. In Asia, he had “left behind him the imprint of an attractive figure who mingled easily and kindly with people, whether they were rich or poor, white or black, yellow or brown, and who reconciled differences, persuaded and helped people to work together, and found solutions where solutions looked difficult and sometimes impossible.”
4.
East African Standard, January 4, 1963, p. 4.
5.
East African Standard, January 4, 1963, p. 4. It was noticed, for example, that MacDonald chose to “remain plain ‘Mister’ during his term of office in Kenya rather than accept the customary knighthood of office.”
6.
Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald, p. xii. Also see East African Standard, November 19, 1962, p. 4. “As a diplomatist, conciliator and negotiator, there are few more effective personalities in British political life than Mr. Malcolm MacDonald … He traveled widely in South East Asia and made a host of friends. Race distinctions are unknown to Mr. MacDonald, who kept open house for all. His work in promoting harmonious race relationships quickly won acclaim—he sweetened the relations of Malayans with Chinese, of these with Indians, and of all these with Europeans. He also made a name for himself for his dislike of formality in dress as well as manners.”
7.
East African Standard, March 28, 1962, p. 1.
8.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 43/2/1-99, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), House of Lords, May 15, 1962, pp. 532–533. It is useful to mention that this specific report comprised one of the papers/documents, read by Malcolm MacDonald during his few days in London prior to assuming his new position as Governor of Kenya in January 1963. He also read, Report of the Kenya Constitutional Conference, 1962, Cmd. 1700, April, 1962.
9.
East African Standard, February 15, 1962, p. 4.
10.
Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald, p. 6.
11.
East African Standard, October 3, 1962, p. 1.
12.
East African Standard, October 12, 1962, p. 15. “23 people were sentenced to a total of 83 years imprisonment by Kenya Magistrates’s Court yesterday for offences in connection with the LFA … At Molo, the Chairman of KANU’s Elburgon branch was jailed for seven years after admitting that he was a founder member of the LFA and its leader in Rift Valley Province.”
13.
East African Standard, October 14, 1962, p. 1.
14.
East African Standard, October 11, 1962, p. 4.
15.
East African Standard, October 5, 1962, p. 13.
16.
East African Standard, October 18, 1962, p. 1.
17.
East African Standard, October 19, 1962, p. 1.
18.
East African Standard, October 25, 1962, p. 4.
19.
East African Standard, October 17, 1962, p. 1.
20.
East African Standard, October 29, 1962, p. 1.
21.
East African Standard, January 21, 1963, p. 5. In this speech, delivered in Mombasa, Kenyatta added that, “tribalism was thing he had utterly rejected during his 40 years in politics. He had all along been advocating unity in Africa, and by Africans, he also referred to American Negroes and West Indians. He believed “the moment we achieve unity in Africa we should be able to free ourselves from the imperialists who came to Africa without our invitation.”
22.
East African Standard, January 4, 1963, p. 1.
23.
Malcolm MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 241.
24.
Malcolm MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 241.
25.
Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald, p. 5.
26.
Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald, p. 6.
27.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenyatta, p. 2.
28.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 245.
29.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 245.
30.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, pp. 245–246.
31.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC71/8/32, Kenyatta, p. 2.
32.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC71/8/32, Kenyatta, p. 3.
33.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenyatta, p. 3.
34.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenyatta, pp. 3–4.
35.
East Africa and Rhodesia, October 25, 1962, p. 181. The paper reported that in his remarks Mboya had said that, “Europeans who were offended by the picture [of Kimathi] should return to Europe, where statues had been erected to people ‘more rotten than any one I can think of in Kenya’.”
36.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenyatta, p. 4. It is important to mention that this conclusion by MacDonald was not shared by many former colonial administrators of Kenya. Lord Howick, for example, still maintained that Mau Mau “was an extraordinary example of highly educated and intelligent men using, in Africa, the belief in witchcraft as a political weapon and in this way striking intense terror into the hearts of a number of simple African peasants.” See Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Baring Papers), GRE/I/49/2, Paper forwarded by Sir Evelyn Baring to the Oxford Colonial Records Project; interviewed by Dame Marjery Perham, November 17, 1969, p. 17. On Kenyatta, Lord Howick continued to hold him responsible for the revolt, and had wanted to write a book telling “the truth about the early fifties, according to the way I saw it, which is a rather unpopular truth.” He wanted to wait “until Jomo is dead,” to write the book. He reckoned that “relations between Britain and Kenya are very good and I don’t want to publish something that would damage those relations.” Further, Baring still held that he thought Kenyatta “was a double man.” GRE/I/48/49, Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Baring Papers). Interview with Evelyn Baring for the Oxford Colonial Records Project; interviewed by M.D. McWilliam, November 19, 1969, p. 28. Baring died in March 1973, before Kenyatta who died in August 1978. He never, therefore, wrote the book on Kenyatta and Mau Mau.
37.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, vKenyatta, p. 4.
38.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 247.
39.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 248.
40.
Hyam, Britain’s Declining Empire, p. 190.
41.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 248.
42.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 248.
43.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 1.
44.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 2.
45.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 2.
46.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers MAC 71/8/8. The Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 2. It is important to mention that Michael Blundell came to share the essence of the MacDonald formula. Toward the end of his life, in his last book, Blundell stated that any government in Kenya, “must attempt to meet the wishes of the Gikuyu people to play a large part in the political destiny of their country and at the same time convince them that other peoples also have a major right to share this destiny with them.” See Blundell, A Love Affair With The Sun, p. 180.
47.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 2.
48.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 248.
49.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 2.
50.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 2.
51.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 3.
52.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 249.
53.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 249.
54.
East African Standard, March 9, 1963, p. 1.
55.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 249. Outside Kenya there had been a steady appeal by Nyerere and Obote to the British Government to grant Uhuru to Kenya as soon as possible. In December 1962, for example, Obote brought up the matter of Kenya’s Independence at a meeting of Heads of Government of the East African Common Services Organization in Dar-es-Salaam. “Mr. Obote said that he and Mr. Kawawa [Tanganyika] were anxious to get on with economic planning on an East African basis and were impeded by the delay in Kenya’s independence.” See East African Standard, December 7, 1962. p. 1.
56.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers MAC 71/8/9, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past. p. 3.
57.
East African Standard, April 19, 1963. p. 1.
58.
East African Standard, April 19, 1963, p. 6.
59.
East African Standard, April 19, 1963, p. 6.
60.
Bloch and Fitzgerald, British Intelligence and Covert Action, p. 152.
61.
Bloch and Fitzgerald, British Intelligence and Covert Action, p. 152. Regarding the KANU manifesto, David Goldsworthy has written that Mboya was “the principal drafter” of this document. See Goldsworthy, Tom Mboya, p. 233.
62.
East African Standard, April 25, 1963, p. 3.
63.
East African Standard, April 25, 1963, p. 3.
64.
East African Standard, April 25, 1963, p. 4.
65.
East African Standard, April 25, 1963, p. 4.
66.
East African Standard, April 18, 1963, p. 5.
67.
East African Standard, May 6, 1963, p. 1.
68.
East African Standard, May 28, 1963, p. 1. Kenyatta added that, the “KANU Government would work for the removal of racial and tribal animosities and it would look to all leaders, particularly those of political parties, to help in this task.”
69.
East African Standard, May 30, 1963, p. 4.
70.
East African Standard, May 30, 1963, p. 4.
71.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 3.
72.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 3.
73.
TNA, CO 822/3114, Appointment of Njonjo as Attorney General.
74.
TNA, CO 822/3114, Appointment of Njonjo as Attorney General. Reaction by some officials at the Colonial Office was not immediately supportive. “We have had no warning of the rather specious reasons given for getting rid of Mr. Webb and substituting Mr. Njonjo, and we consider that there are serious criticisms of the way in which the Governor intends to proceed.” Once again, MacDonald’s action was supported by the Colonial Secretary.
75.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 3.
76.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 6.
77.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 6.
78.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 6.
79.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 6. MAC 71/8/32.
80.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 6.
81.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 6.
82.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 5.
83.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 5.
84.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/1/1-78, Private Correspondence with Kenyatta.
85.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/1/1-78, Private Correspondence with Kenyatta.
86.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/1/1-78, Private Correspondence with Kenyatta.
87.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/1/1-78, Private Correspondence with Kenyatta. For media coverage of this incident see, for example, The Times. London. July 16, 17, 1964, p. 12 and p. 9, respectively.
88.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/1/1-78, Private Correspondence with Kenyatta.
89.
East African Standard, June 24, 1963, p. 1.
90.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/1/1-78, Private Correspondence with Kenyatta.
91.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/1/1-78, Private Correspondence with Kenyatta.
92.
East African Standard, January 14, 1963, p. 5.
93.
Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald, p. 7.
94.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/8/1-25, Personal Correspondence. MacDonald sent a similar letter to each of Ngala Mwendwa’s two brothers.
95.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/6/1-32, Personal Correspondence.
96.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/9/9, Personal Correspondence.
97.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/9/9, Personal Correspondence.
98.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/6/1-32, Private Correspondence. Mboya’s speech was delivered on August 10, 1964.
99.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/6/1-32, Private Correspondence.
100.
Virginia Morell, Ancestral Passions: The Leakey Family and the Quest for Humankind’s Beginnings (New York, NY: Simon Schuster, 1995), p. 169.
101.
Morell, Ancestral Passions, p. 169.
102.
See Murray-Brown, Kenyatta, p. 192. Murray-Brown adds that “Like his father, L.S.B. Leakey regarded Kenyatta’s potential influence on the tribe as mischievous.”
103.
Morell, Ancestral Passions, p. 166.
104.
Morell, Ancestral Passions, p. 170.
105.
Morell, Ancestral Passions, p. 168. Leakey’s books on the Mau Mau include: Mau Mau and the Kikuyu (London: Methuen & Co., 1952), and Defeating Mau Mau (London: Methuen & Co. 1954). In Defeating Mau Mau Leakey argued that “the just and genuine land grievances of the Kikuyu were insufficient to stir up the degree of anger against the white man that the Mau Mau wished to engender. It, therefore, became necessary to falsisfy history for the benefit of the growing generations and tell the youth of the tribe that other land—which had never been in Kikuyu possession and which was now in European ownership—was also land that had once been Kikuyu property and had been ‘stolen’ from them … We know only too well, from Nazi Germany”, he continued, “how a lie, repeated often enough, finally becomes accepted as truth. This is what indeed happened and by 1950 there were thousands of the younger generation of Kikuyu who had come to believe—absolutely—that the greater part of the ‘White Highlands’, the land in occupation by Europeans in Kenya, had formerly been Kikuyuland,” p. 23.
106.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 264.
107.
Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald, pp. 6–7. Gerard Loughran refers to MacDonald as “a known womanizer,” p. 65.
108.
Murray-Brown, Kenyatta, p. 310. It is relevant to mention here that Sir Philip Mitchell, who in retirement settled to farm in Kenya, decided to leave the country in November 1963, on the eve of Uhuru. He and his wife chose to go to Spain, near Gibraltar. “Sir Philip said he made the decision to go ‘because the politicians are determined to make farming impossible in this country’.” Lady Mitchell’s nephew took over the farm in the White Highlands. See East African Standard, November 11, 1963. p. 4.
109.
Sanger, Malcolm MacDonald, p. 402. Sanger adds that in this “turning point” speech, in which Kenyatta asked the farmers to forgive and forget—and to stay on in Kenya—there are certainly passages that sound like phrases from Malcolm: “There is no society of angels, whether it is white, brown, or black. We are all human beings, and as such we are bound to make mistakes.”
110.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 4.
111.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/32, Excerpts of Kenyatta’s speech cited in MacDonald’s memo to the Colonial Office: Kenya: Kenyatta, p. 4.
112.
Bloch and Fitzgerald, British Intelligence and Covert Action, p. 155. McKenzie also played a major role in formulating the KANU’s land distribution policy after Uhuru.
113.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 266.
114.
MacDonald, Titans and Others, p. 257.
115.
Cherry Gertzel, The Politics of Independent Kenya (Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1970), pp. 43–45.
116.
Gertzel, The Politics of Independent Kenya, pp. 50–51.
117.
Gertzel, The Politics of Independent Kenya, p. 52.
118.
Gertzel, The Politics of Independent Kenya, p. 48.
119.
Gertzel, The Politics of Independent Kenya, p. 53.
120.
William Attwood, The Reds and the Blacks: A Personal Adventure (New York, NY: Harper & Row, 1967), p. 257. The clearest evidence of excessive conspicuous consumption was the case of Charles Rubia, the new African Mayor of Nairobi who, in 1965, ordered “a new $ 30,380 Rolls Royce plus six $980 motor cycles as an escort.” This led to a national outcry, forcing Kenyatta to intervene and announce that “no matter what arguments for the car might have been, the order for it was cancelled immediately. The Rolls Royce episode will not easily be forgotten, however, for it brought frustrations to the surface that had not really been acknowledged before.” See Africa Report (Washington, DC. May 1966), p. 12. Kenyatta also engaged in very conspicuous consumption and expanded the perks of his office. Murray-Brown notes that, “Kenyatta’s photograph appeared in every shop window; his face was on Kenya’s new currency; radio broadcasts and newsreels featured his daily activities. A special Presidential film crew accompanied him everywhere. Wherever he drove he would be preceded by police outriders with wailing sirens and limousines filled with bodyguards; other road users had to stop, in the ditch if need be. Special red-beretted paramilitary units under ‘General China’ and other trusted men provided additional protection. Kenyatta enjoyed it all. He reveled in a collection of bigger and better cars—a Rolls Royce from London’s Motor Show, a Lincoln Convertible from American businessmen, a Mercedes 600. Gifts from Asian well-wishers and investments in land and property swelled his personal and family fortune,” p. 316.
121.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya: I. The Recent Past, p. 3.
122.
See Maloba, Mau Mau and Kenya, for details, pp. 98–99. Henderson had also been responsible for assembling “African witnesses” against Kenyatta at the Kapenguria trial. In this capacity, he had “schooled witnesses and chose about one hundred to come to Kapenguria.” See Bildad Kaggia, Roots of Freedom (Nairobi: East African Publishing House, 1975), p. 131.
123.
Odinga, Not Yet Uhuru, p. 277.
124.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 4.
125.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 4.
126.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 5.
127.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent Past, p. 5.
128.
Odinga, Not Yet Uhuru, p. 283.
129.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent past, p. 5. In his statement, later published in the newspapers (see, for example, East African Standard, November 11, 1964) p. 1, Ngala talked of dissolving the KADU as a response to the country’s wishes. “Kadu has taken this step after very serious consideration as to the need for Kenya approaching the Republican status in peace and under one political leadership. We urge all Kadu members and supporters wherever they are in Kenya, to remain calm, peaceful and forget any past hostilities between them and Kanu members. We are joining the Government with no grudge or bitterness against Mzee or any leader in the Government, because we consider the cause of Kenya to be greater than any of our personal gains or losses. This is one of the times that we must be prepared to sacrifice our political dignity for the peace and harmony of Kenya. We are joining forces to build our country and unify our social and economic programmes.”
130.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—I. The Recent past, p. 5. On December 10, 1964, MacDonald wrote a personal note of congratulation to Odinga. “This note brings you my hearty congratulations on being elevated to the position of Vice President. I wish you great success in that high office.” See Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 44/9/9, Private Correspondence.
131.
Gertzel, The Politics of Independent Kenya, p. 54.
132.
Odinga, Not Yet Uhuru, p. 283.
133.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—The Recent Past, p. 6.
134.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—The Recent Past, p. 6.
135.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—The Recent Past, p. 7.
136.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 71/8/8, the Political Situation in Kenya—The Recent Past, p. 4.
137.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 43/8/42, Letter from Prime Minister to MacDonald, December 13, 1963.
138.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 43/8/45, Letter from Duncan Sandys to MacDonald, December 23, 1963.
139.
Kyle, The Politics of the Independence of Kenya, p. 199.
140.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 43/4/1-43, Private Correspondence. Letter of Lord Delamare to Duncan Sandys, September 7, 1964.
141.
Durham, UK, Durham University Archives/Malcolm MacDonald Papers, MAC 43/4/1-43, Private Correspondence. Duncan Sandys’ letter to Malcolm MacDonald about appointment to Kenya as High Commissioner, 14 September, 1964. Sandys added that it was “of course self evident that there is nobody in the whole world who could do the job as you could or who would command more respect in both countries.”
142.
Oginga Odinga complained that in 1964 “the Cabinet was not its own master. When we came to the Cabinet meetings we were faced with decisions that had been taken outside by a group of the Ministers acting as a caucus, with or without outside advisers—we were never told. A curious example of a decision taken out of cabinet was the occasion when we were all invited to go to the airport to meet the Commonwealth Secretary, Mr. Arthur Bottomley, and there Kenyatta took me aside and said, ‘We are accepting MacDonald as High Commissioner’ … The decision told me at the airport had clearly been taken in advance.” p. 276.
143.
East African Standard, November 3, 1964. p. 1. Also see “Farewell to the Governor General” a speech by Kenyatta contained in Suffering Without Bitterness. pp. 249–251. When MacDonald returned to Kenya as the British High Commissioner, Kenyatta sent him fresh cut flowers from his garden. Several Cabinet Ministers praised MacDonald and expressed their delight of having him back in Kenya as British High Commissioner. They included Mboya who said, “I don’t think they could have found a better qualified person and I am personally very happy that this means Mr. MacDonald will stay in Kenya and continue to work with us although in a different capacity, but with the same goals and aims of development of our country.” See East African Standard, November 4, 1964, p. 7. Other Ministers featured are Gichuru, McKenzie and then the General Secretary of Labour, C.K. Lubembe.
144.
East African Standard, November 4, 1964, p. 6.

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Maloba, W.O. (2018). The Turning Point: Kenyatta and Malcolm MacDonald. In: Kenyatta and Britain. African Histories and Modernities. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50895-5_8

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