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1924 Kenyan general election

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General elections were held in Kenya Colony on 2 April 1924.[1] The elections were the first under a new Constitution which saw suffrage extended to Indians and Arabs, who were allotted five and one elected seat in the Legislative Council respectively, alongside the eleven elected seats for the white population, although appointed members were still the majority.[2] Whilst all adult Indian residents were given the right to vote, in the Arab community only men literate in Arabic or Swahili and resident in the country for two years were enfranchised, as the community had requested that women not be given the right to vote.[2] One member was appointed to represent the majority black population.[3]

The Reform Party was one of the parties to contest the election in the white community.[4]

Results

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Despite their enfranchisement, the Indian community boycotted the election after their leaders forbade registration in protest at being placed on a separate roll to the White voters and the small number of seats given to Indians relative to Whites.[4][3] As a result no Indians took their seats in the Council.[5]

European seats
Constituency Candidate Votes % Notes
Coast Robert Robertson-Eustace Unopposed Re-elected
Kenya Reginald Berkeley Cole Unopposed Re-elected
Kikuyu Walter MacLellan Wilson Unopposed Elected
Lake Conway Harvey Unopposed Re-elected
Mombasa Percival Clarke Elected
Alexander Morrison
Nairobi North Hamilton Ward Unopposed Re-elected
Nairobi South Helmuth Schwartze Elected
James Riddell
Thomas Wood Defeated
Plateau North John Coney Unopposed Re-elected
Plateau South Thomas O'Shea Elected
George Cruickshank Griffiths
Rift Valley Hugh Cholmondeley Unopposed Re-elected
Ukamba William Northrup McMillan Unopposed Re-elected
Arab seat
Hamed Mohamed bin Issa Unopposed Elected
Source: Kenya Gazette,[1] Hansard[6]

Appointed members

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Position Member
Ex officio members
Attorney General Robert William Lyall Grant
Chief Native Commissioner Gerald Verner Maxwell
Colonial Secretary Edward Brandis Denham
Commissioner of Customs Edgar George Bale
Commissioner of Lands Humphrey Trice Martin
Director of Agriculture Ernest Harrison
Director of Public Works Howard Lecky Sikes
Principal Medical Officer John Langton Gilks
Treasurer Reginald Clifton Grannum
Uganda Railway General Manager Godfrey Dean Rhodes
Appointed officials
Chief Veterinary Officer A G Doherty
Conservator of Forests Edward Battiscombe
Director of Education James Russell Orr
Director of Land Surveys Arthur George Baker
Lilawi for the Coast Ali bin Salim
Officer Commanding Troops J M Llewellyn
Postmaster General Thomas Fitzgerald
Senior Commissioner, Kikuyu John Owen Webley Hope
Senior Commissioner, Nairobi Francis Stuart Forbes Traill
Solicitor General Ivan Llewlleyn Owen Gower
Appointed unofficial members
Member to represent African interests John Arthur
Source: Hansard[7]

Aftermath

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The newly elected Legislative Council met for the first time on 14 May 1924.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Government Notice No. 94", Kenya Gazette, 18 March 1924, pp6–8
  2. ^ a b "Kenya Franchise: New Constitution Adopted", The Times, 5 January 1924, p9, Issue 43541
  3. ^ a b "Kenya Franchise Swaraj Agitators At Work; White Settlers' Views" The Times, 8 February 1924, p9, Issue 43570
  4. ^ a b "Kenya Elections: European Candidates' Programme" The Times, 27 March 1924, p13, Issue 43611
  5. ^ "Indian Boycott Of Kenya Legislature", The Times, 24 April 1924, p11, Issue 43634
  6. ^ a b Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard) 1924, Session I
  7. ^ Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard) 1924, Session II