Revealed: Intrigues that almost ruined the first Jamhuri

Meria

Elder Lister
Staff member
Three days before December 12, 1963, a radio message was sent out from Nairobi announcing to the world about Kenya’s impending independence.
Meanwhile, a transmitter suspended on a balloon several thousand feet above the city gathered information on the possible weather conditions on Kenya’s bid day.
Unknown to many, though, the build-up to the national celebrations that were expected to herald a new era for the country had been anything but smooth.
For starters, an agitated section of civil servants had hatched an insidious plan to cut off communication between Kenya and the outside world in the run-up to the independence celebrations in their push for what they called an “uhuru (independence) bonus.”
The Union of Posts and Telecommunications Employees in Kenya and the Transport and Allied Workers’ Union had plotted to shut down Kenya’s communication network as the country celebrated the end of 68 years of British rule in what would have been a big embarrassment for the incoming government.
Had the two lobbies’ plan succeeded, the country would have had no telephone, telegram or teleprinter communication with the outside world during the celebrations unless the contested bonus was paid.
Transport and Allied Workers’ Union Secretary-General J Chunguli said road transport services staff, their tour companies’ counterparts, petrol station attendants, taxi operators and airline staff would also stay away from their work stations, plunging the country into a state of paralysis.
He said this would mean that people expected to go to the celebrations by bus would have to walk or stay away altogether.
The stay-at-home directive to run between December 11 and 12, said Chunguli, would involve some 18,000 workers.
The union official further pointed out that there would be no telephone exchange staff on duty for ordinary calls and members of the public would not be able to buy the much-touted uhuru stamps.
Rogue merchants
The East African Standard, however, reported that there were doubts within industrial circles as to whether it was appropriate to carry out negotiations over the so-called uhuru bonus at the time between employers and trade unions or whether the question of a “gift” ought to have been left entirely to the discretion of individual employers.
The State later hit back at the unions, saying that it would not ignore the “deliberate threats and attempts to ridicule or embarrass the Government.”
It further warned that anybody who interfered with the celebrations would be regarded as a traitor.
“Anyone who interfered with Kenya’s independence celebrations would not be regarded as a loyal nationalist but a traitor to the struggle for which many of our people had sacrificed their lives,” reported The East African Standard, quoting a Government statement after a meeting with the trade unions
The paper further reported that the union leaders had agreed to co-operate with Government following the meeting.
The Government at the same time clarified that it would not be able to pay any uhuru bonus, which “in any case was not a right but a special privilege.” It also pointed out that it would not instruct any employer to do so.
As the back and forth between the State and the unions went on over the disputed bonus, rogue merchants, meanwhile, were making a killing by charging exorbitant prices for uhuru souvenirs.
This prompted Government Chief Whip J D Kali to appeal for the establishment of a watchdog sub-committee “to ensure that the prices of articles connected with uhuru were based on reasonable assessment of their actual costs plus reasonable profits not exceeding 12 per cent.”
Reasons given for the high charges were that for example, “uhuru ties” were imported by air.
“Stocks of ties being sent by sea will be cheaper,” reported the East African Standard in one of its November 1963 editions.
End trade ties
An official at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which had been charged by the Cabinet with all plans and designs involving the national flag and coat of arms, said the ministry did not ask for the price of articles when it was asked to approve designs.
“The ministry’s main concern was to prevent misuse of the flag, the coat of arms and pictures of the Prime Minister Jomo Kenyatta,” wrote The East African Standard.
Legislation was also to be introduced to control their use.
Merchants, in the meantime, went all out to profit from the occasion, buoyed by calls from leaders for Kenyans to decorate their homes and business premises for the independence celebrations.
Also in the run-up to the celebrations, Kenya announced that it would end trade ties with South Africa (due to apartheid) and Portugal (due to its regime in Southern Africa) from December 12, 1963.
Representatives from about 76 countries flew in to witness Kenya’s independence celebrations, with 1,700 Kenyan flags flying in Nairobi alone.
As a gesture of goodwill and newfound freedom for the country, 5,000 prisoners were released under the terms of the Independence Amnesty to mark the first ever Jamhuri Day.
The East African Standard reported that Kenyans trekked to Uhuru Gardens, with roadside traders and refreshment stalls doing brisk business.
Such were the intrigues and sideshows that marked and almost derailed Kenya’s first Jamhuri Day celebrations.
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QuadroK4000

Elder Lister
Three days before December 12, 1963, a radio message was sent out from Nairobi announcing to the world about Kenya’s impending independence.
Meanwhile, a transmitter suspended on a balloon several thousand feet above the city gathered information on the possible weather conditions on Kenya’s bid day.
Unknown to many, though, the build-up to the national celebrations that were expected to herald a new era for the country had been anything but smooth.
For starters, an agitated section of civil servants had hatched an insidious plan to cut off communication between Kenya and the outside world in the run-up to the independence celebrations in their push for what they called an “uhuru (independence) bonus.”
The Union of Posts and Telecommunications Employees in Kenya and the Transport and Allied Workers’ Union had plotted to shut down Kenya’s communication network as the country celebrated the end of 68 years of British rule in what would have been a big embarrassment for the incoming government.
Had the two lobbies’ plan succeeded, the country would have had no telephone, telegram or teleprinter communication with the outside world during the celebrations unless the contested bonus was paid.
Transport and Allied Workers’ Union Secretary-General J Chunguli said road transport services staff, their tour companies’ counterparts, petrol station attendants, taxi operators and airline staff would also stay away from their work stations, plunging the country into a state of paralysis.
He said this would mean that people expected to go to the celebrations by bus would have to walk or stay away altogether.
The stay-at-home directive to run between December 11 and 12, said Chunguli, would involve some 18,000 workers.
The union official further pointed out that there would be no telephone exchange staff on duty for ordinary calls and members of the public would not be able to buy the much-touted uhuru stamps.
Rogue merchants
The East African Standard, however, reported that there were doubts within industrial circles as to whether it was appropriate to carry out negotiations over the so-called uhuru bonus at the time between employers and trade unions or whether the question of a “gift” ought to have been left entirely to the discretion of individual employers.
The State later hit back at the unions, saying that it would not ignore the “deliberate threats and attempts to ridicule or embarrass the Government.”
It further warned that anybody who interfered with the celebrations would be regarded as a traitor.
“Anyone who interfered with Kenya’s independence celebrations would not be regarded as a loyal nationalist but a traitor to the struggle for which many of our people had sacrificed their lives,” reported The East African Standard, quoting a Government statement after a meeting with the trade unions
The paper further reported that the union leaders had agreed to co-operate with Government following the meeting.
The Government at the same time clarified that it would not be able to pay any uhuru bonus, which “in any case was not a right but a special privilege.” It also pointed out that it would not instruct any employer to do so.
As the back and forth between the State and the unions went on over the disputed bonus, rogue merchants, meanwhile, were making a killing by charging exorbitant prices for uhuru souvenirs.
This prompted Government Chief Whip J D Kali to appeal for the establishment of a watchdog sub-committee “to ensure that the prices of articles connected with uhuru were based on reasonable assessment of their actual costs plus reasonable profits not exceeding 12 per cent.”
Reasons given for the high charges were that for example, “uhuru ties” were imported by air.
“Stocks of ties being sent by sea will be cheaper,” reported the East African Standard in one of its November 1963 editions.
End trade ties
An official at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which had been charged by the Cabinet with all plans and designs involving the national flag and coat of arms, said the ministry did not ask for the price of articles when it was asked to approve designs.
“The ministry’s main concern was to prevent misuse of the flag, the coat of arms and pictures of the Prime Minister Jomo Kenyatta,” wrote The East African Standard.
Legislation was also to be introduced to control their use.
Merchants, in the meantime, went all out to profit from the occasion, buoyed by calls from leaders for Kenyans to decorate their homes and business premises for the independence celebrations.
Also in the run-up to the celebrations, Kenya announced that it would end trade ties with South Africa (due to apartheid) and Portugal (due to its regime in Southern Africa) from December 12, 1963.
Representatives from about 76 countries flew in to witness Kenya’s independence celebrations, with 1,700 Kenyan flags flying in Nairobi alone.
As a gesture of goodwill and newfound freedom for the country, 5,000 prisoners were released under the terms of the Independence Amnesty to mark the first ever Jamhuri Day.
The East African Standard reported that Kenyans trekked to Uhuru Gardens, with roadside traders and refreshment stalls doing brisk business.
Such were the intrigues and sideshows that marked and almost derailed Kenya’s first Jamhuri Day celebrations.
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Waaaaaaah!
 
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