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Jackson Angaine and Meru Politics (1961-1963) 1 Anaïs Angelo

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Jackson Angaine and Meru Politics (1961-1963) 1 Anaïs Angelo Becoming minister for Lands: Jackson angaine and meru poLitics (1961-1963) 1 Anaïs Angelo To cite this version: Anaïs Angelo. Becoming minister for Lands: Jackson angaine and meru poLitics (1961-1963) 1 . 2016. halshs-01323047 HAL Id: halshs-01323047 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01323047 Submitted on 30 May 2016 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Nairobi IFRA MAMBO!DÃÊ͊ Travaux deVOL Recherche XIV (3), sur 2016 l'Afrique de l'Est BECOMING MINISTER>͛ŝŶƚĠŐƌĂƟŽŶƌĠŐŝŽŶĂůĞƌǁĂŶĚĂŝƐĞ FOR LANDS: JACKSON ANGAINE AND MERU POLITICS 1 (1961-1963)Jérémy Révillon Anaïs Angelo Volume XI n° 7- 2013 In 1978 British Officials profiled the most prominent prophet, a Mugwe, who had foreseen the insidious conflicts Kenyan/ŶƚƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ politicians and produced a document entitled in Meru brought about by the struggle of independence.4 “LeadingRwanda, Personalities année zéro. in Kenya,C'est ainsi1978”. qu’apparaît Their information l'année Growingla Communauté up in the colony, Économique Jackson Angaine des États was educated de l’Afrique at was1994 certainly au pays inspired des mille by collines,regular talks ravagé they par had plusieurs with the AllianceĞŶƚƌĂůĞ;ͿĚŽŶƚŝůĠƚĂŝƚŵĞŵďƌĞĚĞƉƵŝƐϭϵϴϭ͘ High School, like many of his fellow politicians influentialannées d’unecivil servants, guerre andcivile bore dont the l’élémentmarks of the centralinsidious et (Kipkorir,>ĞŵŝŶŝƐƚğƌĞƌǁĂŶĚĂŝƐĚĞůĂŽŵŵƵŶĂƵƚĠĚ͛ĨƌŝƋƵĞ 1969; Charton, 2002). tensionsĮŶĂůĞƐƚƵŶŐĠŶŽĐŝĚĞĞŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚƉƌğƐĚ͛ƵŶŵŝůůŝŽŶ between ministers and provincial administrators ĚĞůΖƐƚĞƐƚăůĂĨŽŝƐďĂƐĠĚĂŶƐůĞƐůŽĐĂƵdžĚƵDŝŶŝƐƚğƌĞ After working as an accountant for some years, Angaine thatĚĞǀŝĞƐ͘>Ğ&ƌŽŶƚWĂƚƌŝŽƟƋƵĞZǁĂŶĚĂŝƐ;&WZͿ͕ĂǀĞĐ pertained Kenyan politics since independence. The ĚĞƐīĂŝƌĞƐƚƌĂŶŐğƌĞƐĞƚĚĂŶƐĐĞƵdžĚƵŽŵŵĞƌĐĞ document provided an intriguing account of Jackson started being politically active: he was secretary for the à sa tête Paul Kagamé, prend le contrôle d'un État ĞƚĚĞů͛/ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĞ;ƉŚŽƚŽϭͿ͘ĞŶΖĞƐƚƉĂƐƵŶŚĂƐĂƌĚ͕ Harvester Angaine, Minister for Lands and Settlements Meru Local Native Council (1935-1948), then became fantôme, où tout est à reconstruire. Au-delà du travail ů͛ŝŶƚĠŐƌĂƟŽŶĂƵƐĞŝŶĚĞůΖĠƚĂŶƚůĞƚĠŵŽŝŐŶĂŐĞ throughout President Jomo Kenyatta’s regime: chairman of the KAU local branch (1948-1952), where ŝŶĚŝƐƉĞŶƐĂďůĞĚĞũƵƐƟĐĞĞƚĚĞƌĠĐŽŶĐŝůŝĂƟŽŶƉŽƵƌ d’intérêts commerciaux et un instrument de “One of the least effective Ministers, but an able he also worked with Jomo Kenyatta. His involvement in ƉĞƌŵĞƩƌĞăŶŽƵǀĞĂƵůĞͨǀŝǀƌĞͲĞŶƐĞŵďůĞ͕ͩĐ͛ĞƐƚƚŽƵƚĞ ƌĞƉƌĠƐĞŶƚĂƟŽŶĚƵƉĂLJƐăů͛ĠƚƌĂŶŐĞƌ͕ƋƵĞĐĞƐŽŝƚĞŶ politician at the grass roots level where he uses the Mau Mau movement that rose at that time was always ůĂƉŽůŝƟƋƵĞƋƵ͛ŝůĨĂƵƚƌĞďąƟƌ͘^ŽƵŚĂŝƚĂŶƚƚŽƵƌŶĞƌůĞ ĨƌŝƋƵĞĚĞůΖĞƐƚŽƵĂƵŶŝǀĞĂƵŝŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů͕ƐĂĐŚĂŶƚ his ministerial position and Presidential support ambiguous. In 1954, when the Emergency was declared, ĚŽƐăƐŽŶƉĂƐƐĠĞŶŵĂƟğƌĞĚĞƉŽůŝƟƋƵĞĠƚƌĂŶŐğƌĞ͕ ƋƵĞů͛ŶĠŐŽĐŝĞĞŶƚĂŶƚƋƵ͛ĞŶƟƚĠƵŶŝƋƵĞůĞƐĂĐĐŽƌĚƐ to maintain his influence among the Meru and to Angaine was arrested and shortly detained by the colonial le Rwanda nouvelle version va basculer d’un pays commerciaux avec l’Union Européenne. Le Rwanda further his personal ends. He is a leading farmer in government. It remains unclear, however, whether this ĨƌĂŶĐŽƉŚŽŶĞƚŽƵƌŶĠǀĞƌƐůĞĐĞŶƚƌĞĚĞů͛ĨƌŝƋƵĞăƵŶ Meru district. He seldom attends Parliament but the wasrejoint primarily ainsi because son heprincipal was suspected partenaire of being commercial a Mau ƉĂLJƐĂŶŐůŽƉŚŽŶĞĂƵƐĞŝŶĚĞĨƌŝƋƵĞĚĞů͛ĞƐƚ͘<ŝŐĂůŝ President relies on him in land dealings.2” Mau,actuel, or because le Kenya. he was Cetteaccused situation of, and prosecuted s’explique for parthe le prend ses distances avec l’Afrique centrale en 2007, The emphasis on Angaine’s presidential favours and his murderfait ofque his Mombasa, wife. His judgement le principal proved port inconclusive, kényan, est, and de ƋƵĞůƋƵĞƐŵŽŝƐĂƉƌğƐƋƵĞƐĂĚĞŵĂŶĚĞĚ͛ŝŶƚĠŐƌĂƟŽŶă 5 local influence invites for further research. Who was Jackson he wasfait, acquittedaussi le forprincipal lack of portany proof rwandais.. Nevertheless, Pays enclavé his Angaine,la Communauté and why was d’Afrique this Meru de l'Estleader fut chosen acceptée. by Mzee detentiondans l’Afriquecontributed des to establishGrands Lacs,him as le a Rwandafollower ofimporte the Jomo Le RwandaKenyatta seto tourneoccupy theà l’est powerful land docket after movement.ů͛ĞƐƐĞŶƟĞůĚĞƐĞƐŵĂƌĐŚĂŶĚŝƐĞƐĚĞƉƵŝƐůĞƐƉŽƌƚƐĚĞ His links to both Njuri Ncheke and the Mau Mau independence? wouldDŽŵďĂƐĂĞƚĚĞĂƌĞƐ^ĂůĂĂŵĞŶdĂŶnjĂŶŝĞ͘ĞƩĞ prove very useful to boost his political career upon >ĞƉƌŽĐĞƐƐƵƐĚ͛ĂĚŚĠƐŝŽŶĚƵƉĂLJƐăůĂŽŵŵƵŶĂƵƚĠindependence.ƉŽůŝƟƋƵĞĞŶĚŝƌĞĐƟŽŶĚĞƐĞƐǀŽŝƐŝŶƐĚĞů͛ĞƐƚĚĞů͛ĨƌŝƋƵĞ In 1960, Angaine joined KANU (Maxon and ĚΖĨƌŝƋƵĞĚĞů͛Ɛƚ;1ͿĨƵƚůĞŶƚ͘ƉƌğƐƵŶĞƉƌĞŵŝğƌĞ Biographical background Ofcansky,permet 2014). de mieux comprendre la réorientation ĚĞŵĂŶĚĞĞīĞĐƚƵĠĞĞŶϭϵϵϲ͕ůĞƉƌŽĐĞƐƐƵƐƐ͛ĞŶĐůĞŶĐŚĞ Jackson H. Angaine was born in 1903 under the name of ůŝŶŐƵŝƐƟƋƵĞĚƵZǁĂŶĚĂǀĞƌƐů͛ĂŶŐůĂŝƐ͕ƉƵŝƐƋƵĞĐĞƐĚĞƵdž JacksonǀĠƌŝƚĂďůĞŵĞŶƚĞŶϭϵϵϵĂǀĞĐů͛ĂĐĐĞƉƚĂƟŽŶƉĂƌůĞƐƚƌŽŝƐ Harvester M’Nchebere. “Angaine” was his father’s Frompays tactful sont d’anciennessubversion to colonies “pro-government britanniques, of late’:comme name,ŵĞŵďƌĞƐĨŽŶĚĂƚĞƵƌƐ;<ĞŶLJĂ͕KƵŐĂŶĚĂ͕dĂŶnjĂŶŝĞͿĚĞ Chief M’Angaine MBE, a colonial paramount chief Angaine’sů͛ĂĸƌŵĂWĂƵů<ĂŐĂŵĠůƵŝͲŵġŵĞ͕ĚŝƐĂŶƚΗƚŚĂƚŝƐǁŚLJ strategic politicking in Meru (1960-1962) andůĂĐĂŶĚŝĚĂƚƵƌĞƌǁĂŶĚĂŝƐĞ͘>͛ĂĚŚĠƐŝŽŶĞƐƚĐĞƉĞŶĚĂŶƚ prominent leader of the Njuri Ncheke, council of elders TheZǁĂŶĚĂŝƐƌĞŽƌŝĞŶƟŶŐŝƚƐĞůĨƚŽǁĂƌĚƐĂƐƚĨƌŝĐĂĂŶĚ political situation in Meru was particularly worrisome at andƌĞƉŽƵƐƐĠĞĞŶϮϬϬϮ͕ůĞƐƚƌŽŝƐƚĂƚƐƐŽƵŚĂŝƚĂŶƚĚ͛ĂďŽƌĚ so-called traditional government in Meru.3 Jackson’s thatƚŚĞŶŐůŝƐŚͲƐƉĞĂŬŝŶŐǁŽƌůĚ time, mostly because of Mau Mau2Η͘>ĞƉĂLJƐĞƐƚĞŶƚƌĠĚĂŶƐ resilience: the district grand-fatherƌĠĂůŝƐĞƌƵŶĞƵŶŝŽŶĚŽƵĂŶŝğƌĞ͘ƉƌğƐĚĞƐŶĠŐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶƐ was believed to have been a traditional Meru wasůĞŽŵŵŽŶǁĞĂůƚŚĞŶϮϬϬϵ the last bastion of influential3͕ĂƉƌğƐĂǀŽŝƌĚĠũăĨĂŝƚĂĐƚĞ Mau Mau leaders who ĞŶϮϬϬϱĞƚĞŶϮϬϬϲ͕<ŝŐĂůŝƉĞƵƚĞŶĮŶĂŶŶŽŶĐĞƌƋƵĞ de candidature en 1996 et en 2003. L’anglais, quant ů͛ĂĚŚĠƐŝŽŶƌĠĞůůĞĚƵƉĂLJƐĞƐƚƉƌĠǀƵĞĂƵϭĞƌũƵŝůůĞƚϮϬϬϳ͘ 1 ăůƵŝĞƐƚĚĞǀĞŶƵƵŶĞůĂŶŐƵĞŵĂũĞƵƌĞ͕ĂƵŵġŵĞƟƚƌĞ . ThisYƵĞůƋƵĞƐũŽƵƌƐĂǀĂŶƚĐĞƩĞĚĂƚĞ͕ůĞZǁĂŶĚĂƋƵŝƩĞ research would not have been possible without the support of Freda Nkirote (BIEA) and Njuguna Gichere (National Museums of Kenya) who helped me organize my trips to Meru. I also thank John Kirujia (National Museums2 of Kenya),« Rwanda who president assisted accusesme in Meru. UN of betrayal and denies backing Tutsi 2. (BNA) FCO31/2314, “Leading Personalities in Kenya”, 1978. rebels in Congo », The Guardian, 15 novembre 2008. 1 En anglais, East African Community, d’où l’utilisation de l’acronyme EAC 3 « Le Rwanda admis au sein du Commonwealth », Le Soir, 29 novembre 3. Interview “Reverend Mugambi (spiritual advisor to the Njuri Ncheke)”, 12 October 2015, Nairobi. dans la suite du texte 2009. 4. Ibid. 5. (BNA) FCO31/2314, “Leading Personalities inIFRA Kenya, Laikipia 1978”. Road, P.O. Box 58480-00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel : 254 20 43 43 446 - Fax : 254 20 43 43 052 IFRAE-mail: Laikipia [email protected] Road, P. O. Box 52979 Web 00100, site: www.ifra-nairobi.net Nairobi, Kenya E-mail: [email protected] .1.– Web site: www.ifra-nairobi.net Mambo! VOL XIV (3) refused to surrender to the government, and took over the strongly pro-government”, a change colonial officers command of the Kenya Land Freedom Army (Kamunchuluh, perceived to be of personal interest.13 1975: 208; Kanogo, 1987; Kinyatti, 2008). Their resistance risked, in the government’s view, encouraging the remaining Taming Njuri Ncheke to tame Meru land (1962) freedom fighters and released detainees to form a separated community and challenge the government’s authority.6 Then a strong defender of the KANU party-line, Angaine Local politics were further complicated by the KANU- found himself in opposition not only to KADU leaders in KADU competition in the district. Colonial administrators, Meru, such as the educated Bernard Mate, but also with the fearing a revival of Mau Mau activities, suspected them all of Njuri Ncheke, the traditional government. At the heart of “double talk” politics, publicly denouncing terrorist oathing, the competition between Angaine and Njuri Ncheke was the yet spreading oaths to “ensure support for their party.”7 control of the Meru vote, as well as the control over land Jackson Angaine, then KANU chairman for Meru, was held transactions in the district. Njuri Ncheke was a powerful responsible for such practices by the colonial authorities: institution as, in 1955, the colonial government strengthened “he is the source of all subversion, and indeed started the it to ensure the Mau Mau movement would not gain ground oathing campaign in the 1960 in order to defeat [KADU in Meru district. Njuri Ncheke was “recognised officially leader Bernard] Mate’s influence.”8 He was suspected of by combining it with the Local Government system of having a close contact with radical KANU leaders as well as the District.”14 The traditional council nominated
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