The Palgrave Handbook of Kenyan History

267 Pages·2023·4.632 MB·English

by  Wanjala S. Nasong'o, Maurice N. Amutabi, Toyin Falola

The Palgrave Handbook
of Kenyan History
Edited by
Wanjala S. Nasong’o
Maurice N. Amutabi
Toyin Falola
The Palgrave Handbook of Kenyan History
Wanjala S. Nasong’o
Maurice N. Amutabi • Toyin Falola
Editors
The Palgrave
Handbook of Kenyan
History
Editors
Wanjala S. Nasong’o Maurice N. Amutabi
Rhodes College Technical University of Kenya
Memphis, TN, USA Nairobi, Kenya
Toyin Falola
Department of History
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX, USA
ISBN 978-3-031-09486-6 ISBN 978-3-031-09487-3 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09487-3
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P
reface
The Palgrave Handbook of Kenyan History has benefitted from a diverse field of
intellectuals, academics, researchers, and university teaching staff from all parts
of the country and abroad. The scholars come from different disciplines and
backgrounds. The manner in which the twenty-one chapters are organized
captures events from the earliest precolonial period through colonial encoun-
ters to the time of the country’s independence from British colonialism. The
chapters contain in-depth research, analysis, and interpretation, allowing for
the representation of space, agency, and voices of all stakeholders.
The authors explore different aspects of the country’s national history, cul-
ture, economics, politics, and environment. Chapters 2–5 explore migration
histories, settlements, and the establishment of communities in pre-colonial
Kenya. Chapters 6 and 7 dig deep into the country’s social history, while Chap.
8 explores the country’s premodern political economy. From Chaps. 9–20, the
discourse turns to Kenya’s colonial history, underlining the development of
different politico-economic systems such as agriculture, gender politics and
Western-styled politics, trade union movement, social life in colonial settler
towns, and the transition from the rise of anticolonial nationalism to the attain-
ment of independence in 1963. Chapter 21 evaluates the dynamics of political
consolidation in the immediate post-independence period and the establish-
ment of single-party authoritarianism.
For ease of study and review, the book is divided into two parts, each focus-
ing on a specific time period and multiple themes therein. We are confident
that readers will find this division of the book into two chronological and the-
matic parts most convenient. Part I comprises Chaps. 2–8 and focuses on the
country’s precolonial period. Part II of the book, comprising Chaps. 9–21
covers the colonial period to the time of independence. The book presents a
holistic narration of the country’s historical trajectories. The chapters dealing
with the pre-colonial aspects of the country’s history showcase the ebb and
flow of pre-colonial communities, demonstrating how kingdoms were estab-
lished, flourished, and declined before the advent of British colonialism in the
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vi PREFACE
country in 1888. The chapters on the country’s colonial history examine socio-
cultural, political, and economic developmental trajectories in the country dur-
ing the colonial period. Major landmarks in the country’s colonial history that
are examined in this portraiture include the establishment of white settlements
in colonial Kenya in 1897, the outbreak of the First and the Second World
Wars in 1914 and 1939, the rise of anti-colonial nationalism in 1945, and the
attainment of independence in 1963.
The Palgrave Handbook of Kenyan History is rich in its scope, range, breadth,
and depth. Many previous works on Kenya’s history have missed vital themes
such as the arts, science, and technology. They have not captured the cultural
history of the country. They have also not examined the European occupation
using deeper and broad tools of analysis in order to unravel the colonial project
the way this book has done. The chapters are well written, by experts, and
represent the broadest interpretation of Kenya studies. Some of the chapter
writers are great Kenyan intellectuals who are respected globally, while others
are scholars based abroad whose focus of research is Kenya. Some have con-
ducted field research while others have provided analysis and interpretation
that many readers will find invigorating. The editors have paid attention to
factual accuracy although the burden still lies with the authors of individual
chapters. The editors have tried to create gender balance in the writing of the
book, with as many women as men, while being aware of the representation of
Kenya’s ethnic diversity. The editors have also paid attention to language issues
so that the chapters can be understood by the general reader, from high school
graduates to university professors, without suffering the burden of complexity
or oversimplification.
Many universities in the world are embracing interdisciplinary and multidis-
ciplinary approaches in knowledge creation. Many of them are also embracing
theories and research approaches that are holistic and objective. These are the
approaches that writers in this book have embraced. As editors, we have accom-
modated all views—left, right, and center—without compromising the subject
matter. It is our expectation that many readers will find the book different and
unique due to its liberal and open approach to many themes in Kenya studies.
We recommend the book for general readers and all research and academic
scholars interested in Kenya and African studies, all of whom should find the
book interesting.
Memphis, TN Wanjala S. Nasong’o
Nairobi, Kenya Maurice N. Amutabi
Austin, TX Toyin Falola
c
ontents
1 Introduction: Kenya in Historical Perspective 1
Wanjala S. Nasong’o, Maurice N. Amutabi, and Toyin Falola
Part I The Long Precolonial Moment 11
2 The Bantu Origins, Migration, and Settlement in Kenya 13
Pius Kakai Wanyonyi
3 The Migration of Nilotes and Their Settlement 23
Opolot Okia
4 Cushitic Migration and Settlement in Kenya 35
Maurice N. Amutabi
5 The Arrival of Arabs and Asians in Kenya 45
Julius Simiyu Nabende
6 Kingdoms, Politics, and State Formation in Pre-c olonial Kenya 55
Kennedy M. Moindi
7 Traditional Families and Social Networks in Kenya 69
Tom G. Ondicho
8 Pre-colonial Economic Activities: Crafts, Industry, and Trade 85
Kennedy M. Moindi
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viii CONTENTS
Part II Colonial Encounters 97
9 The Colonial Political Economy in Kenya 99
Kennedy M. Moindi
10 The Kenyan Shilling: History of an East African Currency 115
Isaac Tarus
11 Colonial Agricultural Development 125
Martin S. Shanguhyia
12 The Impact of the First and Second World Wars on Kenya 139
Samuel A. Nyanchoga
13 Politics and Social Life in White Settler Towns 149
Maurice N. Amutabi and Linnet Hamasi
14 The Environment Under Colonialism 163
Martin S. Shanguhyia
15 The Mass Media and Cultural Change 177
Kibiwott Kurgat and Caren Jerop
16 The Influence of Pioneer Schools and Makerere University
on Kenya’s Post-Colonial Development 187
Peter O. Ojiambo and Margaret W. Njeru
17 African Women in Colonial Kenya, 1900–1963 199
Julius Simiyu Nabende and Martha W. Musalia
18 The Trade Union Movement in Colonial and Postcolonial
Kenya 211
Magdalene Ndeto Bore
19 The Rise of Anti-colonial Nationalism 223
Robert M. Maxon
20 Lancaster House Independence Constitutional Negotiations,
1960–1963 235
Robert M. Maxon
CONTENTS ix
21 Political Consolidation and the Rise of Single- Party
Authoritarianism 245
Wanjala S. Nasong’o
Index 257
n c
otes on ontributors
Maurice N. Amutabi is Professor and Director of the Centre for Science and
Technology Studies at the Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. He
holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Amutabi is author of over 60 books, and over 100 articles in refereed journals
and edited books. Amutabi has written five novels which include A Trip from the
Past and Facing the Unique Acacia Tree. Amutabi has taught at Moi University,
Central Washington University, Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kisii
University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Hekima
University College, Lukenya University, the Technical University of Kenya, and
served as Visiting Professor at Linkoping University, Sweden. He is the
Chairperson of the Board of Management of the Centre for Democracy,
Research and Development. He is the President of African Interdisciplinary
Studies Association and Vice President of Kenya Scholars and Studies Association.
Magdalene Ndeto Bore holds a Ph.D. in Human Resource Management and
a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Jomo Kenyatta
University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya. Currently, she is the
Registrar, Administration at Pan African Christian University, Kenya. Magdalene
has previously served as the Dean of Academics at Amity Global Institute
Nairobi and the Head of Corporate Training. She has also served as the Dean,
School of Business at Lukenya University. Magdalene has taught Research and
human resource management in universities and actively supervised postgradu-
ate students for over ten years. She is a Certified Human Resource Professional
and a Certified Trainer of Trainers in Human Resource Management. Her
interest is in human resource development, knowledge management, and
employee relations. She has contributed many book chapters to academic
books and has also edited three book volumes in addition to peer-reviewed
journal articles and presented at conferences widely on various aspects of the
discipline of Human Resource Management.
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