Minneapolis spokesman., 1962-04-06

Kenya African National Union
and the Kenya African Democr
Ronald Ngala. KANU seeks a S
KADU advocates federal system.
The latter has held this position
during five-week-long deadlock at
the London constitutional confer
ence.
KADU expresses the fear that
strong central government would
result in a dictatorship on the
part of Kenyatta's dominant Xix
uyu tribe. In a move to keep the
talks from disintegrating, Reginal
Maudling, British colonial secre-
tary, advanced a compromise plan
which proposed that Kenya be
divided into six regions, each with
its own powers of legislation and
administration entrenched into the
constitution and covering land,
local government, police and rev.
enue.
Maudling said a two chamber
central government was necessary
with the upper chamber possessing
strong powers, not merely func-
tioning as a rubber stamp. He
urged both KANU and KADU to
get together in London to form a
new Kenya coalition government
to work on the final problems of
independence.
IN ADDITION to the KANU-
KADU power struggle, Kenya is
beset with other internal problems
For example, the 10000 Somalis
living in the eastern sector of the
country's northern frontier prov
ince object to any compromise
that will keep their territory with
in an independent Kenya under
African rule. A nomadic people who
follow their herds disregarding
boundary lines, which incidentally
were not established by Africans
in the first place, these Somalis
do not feel that they are a part
of Kenya in the sense that they
favor living under a Kenya Afri-
can government.
A similar problem exists on
Kenya's Coastal Strip. In London,
Sheik Abioula Abudllhai Nassir,
leader of the "Mwambao United
Front" said that the Coastal
Strip will resist without reserva-
ton any solution which would be
unsatisfactory to them" He told
a press conference that this resist
ance would include anything,
"even force" He said that the
indigenous people of the Coastal
Strip would prefer to revert to
Zanzibar But if this is not pos
sible, he would rather be an inde-
pendent unit completely separate
from Kenya. The shiek advocated
a plebiscite in the Central Strip
restricted to the indigenous inhab-
itants of the area.
The Coastal Strip, with its prin-
cipal port at Mombasa, is a ma
jor element in Kenya's economic
structure. AS such, it is signifi-
cant part to the whole of Kenya.
To add to the already difficult
situation, a threat of widespread
labor and trade union trouble in
Kenya was made in Nairobi by
Fred Dubai, director Of organiza-
ton of the Kenya Federation of
Labor. with increasing unem-
ployment, business stagnation, dis
missal of farm labor and the after
effects of drought and floods, an
explosive situation is building up"
Kubai said. Leader of the labor
federation is Tom Mboya, secre-
tary-general of KANU. The feder-
alton is said to give active support
to KANU, Kenya's largest politi-
cal party.
IN NEIGHBORING Uganda,
preparation for independence is in
it's final stages. This East Afri-
can British protectorate, which is
scheduled to become independent
in October, has set April 25 as the
polling date. Tribal rivalries, re-
ligious differences, the future pol
itical relationships of various parts
of Uganda and an old dispute over
land have become major issues in
the election campaign. The pro-
tectorate's first prime minister,
Benedioto Kiwanuka, has threat
ened to try to postpone the cleo
tions unless these problems are re-
solved.
PAINTED SIGNS reading
"Sharpeville is Shame to South
Africa" appeared on johannesburg
bridges to note the second anniv-
ersary Of the Sharpeville mas
sacre Of SO Africans by police dur
ing demonstrations.
THE GOVERNMENT of Nigeria
and the italian state-owned oil
corporation e. NJ I. signed an
agreement in Rome giving the
corporation oil rights over a 2000-
mile territory. The italian corpor-
alton will turn over 50 per cent
Of production to the Nigerian gov
ernment II oil is found in COM
mercial quantity. The company
will train Nigerian technicians.
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