% SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS OP BANDEK LAND SETTLEMENT SCHEME Br JEFFREY E. COSNOW A thesis submitted. fo r the Degree of Master of r‘.o in the University of East ..frica. 1968 WIV. COLL. HBL HBBUlf AOKHOffLEDQELiENTS I would lik e to thank the ..frier.:. tudioe Programme of Sociology at Makerere University College for the facilities, advice and finonoial assistance with which they provided me. I would also lik e to thank the Makerere In stitu te of .'ocinl Research for the grant v/hich it nado avails Mo to ne. In particular I would like to thank Professor Raynond Apthorpe.of the Depart ent of Sociology for his guidance. I-an especially appreciative of the assistance which Mr* and lirs. Gourlay and family of Makerere University College offered me dur:rc: the final stages of the preparation of this thesis. This thesis could not have been completed without the help of.ny fie ld assistance hr.hichaol Kipkorir Arap Koech, He was an invaluable assistar t and a good friend. I owe hin my deepest grtitudo. For a variety of reasons this thesis fins written entirely in the field, some two hundred fifty niles from the nearest library. ..s a result of this fact it does not contain ooplous refer*: •» to the published literature on land settlement. Hoc erat in votis: modus agri non lta magnua, Hortus ubi et tecto vicinus iugia aquae fone E t apulum s ilv a e super h is f o r e t . " This was what I prayed for: a plot of lm..i not too large, containing a garden, and Mar the house a fresh spring of water, and a bit of forest to complete it." Horace 65-8 B.C. Satires, II. vi. I. TABLE OF CONTESTS Page Thesis Synopsis .................................................... j CHAPTER I Preliminary Considerations Concerning Land Settlement Among the Kipsigis .................. 1 CHAPTER I I Innovations on the Scheme................................... 13 CHAPTER I I I The Co-operative Society ................. 115 Table one The Executive Committee (Milk Production and Mortgage Payment.............................................................. 132 CHAPTER IV The Kokwet as the Primary Unit of Social In te ra c tio n .................................................. 209 Table two Kin and Age-set Relationship Following in Arap Mosonik's Kokwet..................................219 CHAPTER V Roles Other Than That of P lo t-h o ld e r .............. 279 CHAPTER VI Loans and Loan Repayment........................................314 - Table three - A Popular Song in Kipsigis 0 0wln& Concerned with Loan Repayment......................... 329 EPILOGUE.................................................................... 343 B ibliography.............................................................349 A p p en d ices...............................................................358 ********* THESIS SYNOPSIS SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS OP BANDER LAND SETTT.ra/raNT SCHEME ~ ~ The thesis w ill consist of a sociological cose study of a Land Settlement Scheme located in Kericho D istrict in the Republj c of Kenya. The topics which w ill be discussed in the thesis are as follows: —1. The sources from which the plot-holders obtained information about Land Settlement. 2, The actions which the plot-holders took in order to obtain a plot on the Scheme. The conceptions that the settlers had about L<Shd Settlement before they took up their plots. -'4 . The socio-economic background of the plot- holders. 5. The reactions of the plot-holders when they learned of the regulations which they were expected to obey. 6. The concep'tiohs which the s e ttle rs held of the type of farming practised by the Europeans who formerly owned the land. 7. The difficulties associated with the ownership and management of the European breeds of c a ttle . 8. The role of the veterinary staff on the Scheme. 9. The problem of A rtificial Insemination (A .I .) A .I. as an innovation which is not accepted. *■ 10. Social factors effecting agricultural production. The question of the "work ethic" and "peasant fatalism". -II- n /l l * The problem o f mortgage payments, How tradition al attitudes towards credit' effects the functioning of the Scheme, 12, Friendship patterns on the Scheme, 13• The role of women and paid labourers on the Scheme, 14, The problem o f disputes and dispute settlement, 15, The role of the Co-operative Society, 16, Leadership and authority on the Sohene. The question of legitimacy, 17, The relations between the Scheme and the neighbouring areas. The question of the "demonstration effect," 18, The types of houses that are found on the Scheme, The topics which are given the greatest consideration are the social factors effecting agricul­ tural production, the problem of A ,I,, dispute settlement, the Co-operative Society and loan repayments. The thesis states that agricultural pro­ duction on the Scheme is strikingly greater than it is on the neighbouring freehold lands, but that the per acre production is considerably below that achieved.by the Europeans that formerly occupied the land. The explanation given for this phenomenon is that the plot-holders are committed to producing fo r the cash economy to a much greater degree than are the people in the neighbouring freehold land, / - Ill - but they are not completely committed to tho . concept o f farming as a commercial enterprise. The "economizing ethic" is not at the centre of the plot-holders’ attitude toward farming. This contention w ill be supported by data collected in interviews and by observation. A discussion of the agricultural techniques practised by the plot- holders w ill be presented. The plot-holders are willing to accept an innovation provided that it yields clearly recogni- zeable rewards and does not run counter to tradition al values or require a substantial investment in either time or money. The reactions of the plot- holders to innovations such as passion fruit, hybrid maize, fertilizers, European breeds of cattle and artificial insemination w ill be used as examples to support th is contention. The reason that A r t ific ia l insemination (A .I .) has not been successful on the Scheme is not duo to any "moral" or "ethical"objections, but rather on the grounds that i t has not been e ffe c tiv e enough to be satisfactory to the plot-holders. The.plot- holders consider A .I. to be a waste o f money. A presentation of the reasons why cows on the Scheme often do not conceive after.being served by A.I. several times w ill be mode. Among the reasons for A .I. not being e ffe c tiv e is poor animal husbandry being practised by the plot-holders and the lack of / - IV - experienced veterinary staff. The contention that there is no strong moral bias against A,I. w ill be supported by data collected in interviews with the plot-holders. A number of statements made by the plot-holders themselves w ill be presented. The failure of the plot-holders to accept passion fru it as a cash crop w ill be shown to be based on their reluctance to accept an innovation which requires a good deal of intensive! labour. It w ill be shown that the way passion fruit-was introduced mili-ftated against it s acceptance. Data collected in interviews with the plot-holders will be presented. Kipsigis jurisprudence is not concerned with the search fo r Justice", but rather the search for an equitable solution to a dispute. The ideal of Kipsigis jurisprudence is not that "for every wrong there is a redress in the law", but rather that peaceful relations should be maintained in the community. A solution to a dispute which leaves bitterness is not considered to be a satisfactory solution. The "Seasonable Man" in K ipsigis law is the one who does not force his rights against another person. These contentions w ill be supported by an examination of six cases of dispute: settlement which took place on the Schene The coses that are presented range from the offence of malicious gossip to attempted matricide. A ll six cases took place while the author was resident on the Scheme. - V - The primary factor determining friendship networks on the Scheme is proximity. Kinship, age- set affiliation , and previous acquaintanceship w ill be shown to be unimportant factors in determining friendship networks. Clanship w ill be shown to be of particularly slight importance. Any social relations that existed prior to moving on the Scheme w ill wither if the persons involved in then do not live close to each other on the Scheme. The primary unit.of social interaction is the neighbourhood or kokwet. The kokwet consists of from eight to fifteen families who live in close proximity to each other. It is the unit within which disputes arise and are settled. It is the unit within which the communal work group is organized. If a member of the kokwet is offensive in his behaviour over a substantial period of tine the kokwet w ill react by excluding, him from a ll the social activities of the community. They will not, however, invite outside authority to take action against him even i f he has committed a serious criminal offence. These contentions w ill be supported by interviews and observations made on the Scheme. A detailed description of one kokwet w ill be presented. There are two types of leaders on the Scheme. The firs t type of leader is a man who is widely known a l l over the Scheme, and is generally recognized as a man who is more experienced and/or / - V I - educated than the average plot-holder. These leaders include the Chairman of the Co-operative Society, the sub—chief and the Member of Parliament that lives on the Scheme. Among the qualifications for leadership of this type are the ability to speak *ell in public and the willingness to travel off of the Scheme to represent the plot-holders at meetings and conferences.