By Elimu Assistant Team 
🏛️ ESTABLISHMENT OF COLONIAL RULE IN KENYA 🇰🇪
🌍 CAUSES OF THE SCRAMBLE FOR EAST AFRICA
Factors that contributed to the scramble and partition of East Africa:
🇪🇺 Rise of Nationalism in Europe
The Unification of Germany after the Franco-Prussian war (1870-71) upset the balance of power in Europe. There was need to rebalance through acquisition of colonies in Africa, including East Africa. Germans felt that securing colonial possessions was the only way their nation could gain recognition among other European powers.
🗺️ Strategic Location of East Africa
Europeans were concerned with the source of the River Nile in East Africa and control of the Suez Canal. From the days of Portuguese conquest in the 15th century, East Africa proved to be a strategic location for fresh supplies. This is why Germans and British competed for possessions in the region.
🏭 Economic Development Needs
Industrialized nations rushed for colonies to tap raw materials to keep their factories running. There was popular belief that East Africa contained pockets of precious metals awaiting exploitation. They were also driven by search for markets for European goods and places to invest their capital.
📰 Rise of Public Opinion in Europe
There was growth of public support towards the acquisition of colonies. For example, the Daily Press in London spoke well about acquiring colonies, influencing government policy.
👥 Social Factors
- 🚫 Stamp out slave trade and replace it with legitimate trade
- 🎭 Spread European culture to East Africa
- ⛪ Protect missionaries already operating in East Africa
✂️ THE PROCESS OF PARTITION
The Berlin Conference failed to fully resolve the rivalry between Germans and British in East Africa. Activities of Karl Peters and Harry Johnstone for Germans and British respectively in the Mount Kilimanjaro region depicted intense rivalry which almost led to war.
📜 The Anglo-German Agreement of 1886
🤝 Terms of the Agreement:
- Sultan’s Territory: 16 KM coastal strip from Vanga to Lamu, plus islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, Mafia, Lamu, Pate and towns like Lamu, Kisimayu, Mogadishu, Merca, and Brava
- German Territory: Coastline of Witu, region between River Umba (North) and River Ruvuma (South)
- British Territory: Territory north of River Umba up to River Juba
🏝️ The Heligoland Treaty of 1890
📋 Terms of the Heligoland Treaty:
- 🇺🇬 Germany officially recognized Uganda as British sphere of influence
- 🏝️ Germany abandoned claim over Witu territory in exchange for Heligoland island in North Sea
- 🏛️ Germany accepted British protectorate over Zanzibar and Pemba
- 🌊 Germany acquired strip of land on Lake Tanganyika and coastal region of Tanganyika
- 👑 Sultan of Zanzibar retained 16km coastal strip
🇬🇧 BRITISH OCCUPATION OF KENYA
🛠️ Methods Used by the British to Occupy Kenya
📝 a) Signing of Treaties
- Treaty by Sir William Mackinnon and Sultan of Zanzibar Barghash (1887) – put Zanzibar under British for 50 years
- The Maasai Agreements of 1904 and 1911 between Oloibon Lenana and the British
- The Anglo-German Treaties of 1886 and 1890
🤝 b) Collaboration
The British collaborated with communities like the Wanga and Maasai who were later used as bases to extend British authority over other areas.
🏰 c) Establishing Operational Bases
The British built forts like Fort Smith (Kabete) and Fort Hall (Murang’a) to enhance their political control.
🏢 d) Use of Company Rule
Due to fear of enormous costs of effective occupation and administration, the British mandated the IBEA Company to administer the Kenyan protectorate.
🏛️ THE IMPERIAL BRITISH EAST AFRICA COMPANY (IBEACO)
Sir William Mackinnon’s company was given the royal charter in 1888 with the following powers:
💼 Powers of IBEACO:
- 💰 Levying and collecting taxes and institute custom duties
- ⚖️ Establishing political authority and maintaining law and order
- 🛒 Promoting legitimate trade and eradicating slave trade
- 🎓 Developing and civilizing indigenous peoples
✅ Achievements of the IBEAC
- 🛡️ Successfully quelled local aggression from communities such as Nandi, Maasai and Akamba
- 🏰 Established series of forts at Kibwezi, Machakos, Smith and Dagoretti
- 🛣️ Improved transport and communication by pioneering road construction (e.g., Sclater’s Road between Kibwezi and Busia in 1894)
- ⛓️ Succeeded in eradicating slavery to some extent and securing freedom for many slaves
- 🌱 Developed rubber industry along the coast and interior
🤔 Reasons Why Britain Used IBEA Company
- 📊 Absence of clear policy on administration of colonial possessions
- 💵 Company could provide cheap administrative capital
- 👥 Problem of inadequate personnel for colonial administration
- 📈 IBEACO’s long experience and heavy investment in the region
❌ Why Company Rule Failed by 1895
- 💎 Region lacked strategic natural resources for export
- 💰 Company lacked sufficient capital for day-to-day operations
- 🚢 Transportation proved expensive and slow (no navigable rivers)
- 📞 Poor coordination due to lack of proper communication channels
- 💸 Corruption among company officials
- ⚔️ Numerous resistances, especially in Nandi country
- 👔 Officials lacked administrative experience
- 🦠 Harsh tropical climate and diseases like malaria and sleeping sickness
🔑 FACTORS THAT FACILITATED BRITISH CONTROL
⛪ Christian Missionary Factor
Created atmosphere of friendship with Africans and occasionally called for protection against hostile communities.
🏢 Trading Company Presence
IBEACO agents signed treaties with African rulers as means of initiating effective occupation.
⚔️ Superior Military Power
European armies were more efficient, witnessed in ability to quell wars of resistance like Nandi resistance.
💔 Disunity Among African Communities
Wanga vs neighbors, Nandi vs Maasai conflicts, Mijikenda vs coastal Arabs – all advantageous to British.
📜 Treaty Signing & Collaboration
Maasai Agreement of 1900, various Wanga treaties with British.
👑 Indirect Rule Policy
British policy was readily acceptable, reducing chances of resistance.
💰 Financial Support
Strong financial backing from the home government in Britain.
🎓 Educational Summary
The establishment of colonial rule in Kenya was a complex process involving European power struggles, economic interests, strategic considerations, and the exploitation of local divisions. Understanding this history helps us comprehend modern Kenya’s development and challenges.
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