By Elimu Assistant Team 
📜 The Devonshire White Paper (1923) | Kenya’s Colonial History
🔍 The Devonshire White Paper was a pivotal document in Kenya’s colonial history, issued after negotiations between European settlers and the British Colonial Office in March 1923.
🎯 Background Context
The League of Nations mandate compelled Britain to address African grievances, leading to:
- ✔️ Recall of Governor Edward Northey (1922) who had favored settlers
- ✔️ End of racial segregation (except in White Highlands)
- ✔️ Asian representation in LEGCO (implemented in 1933)
⚖️ Key Trigger
In March 1923, settlers sent a protest delegation to London to meet the Colonial Secretary (Duke of Devonshire), resulting in the White Paper
📌 Factors Leading to the White Paper
📚 League of Nations Influence
The “Dual Mandate” book promoted trusteeship principles prioritizing African welfare over European settlement
⚔️ Racial Conflicts
Growing tensions between Europeans vs. Africans and Europeans vs. Asians (especially over Indian privileges)
🚫 Segregation Ban
Partial lifting of racial segregation angered settlers who wanted complete segregation
👥 African Resentment
Protests against land alienation, forced labor, kipande system, taxation, and lack of political representation
📜 Key Terms of the White Paper
- ✅ White Highlands reserved exclusively for Europeans
- ✅ 5 LEGCO seats for Asians (communal roll)
- ✅ Ended racial segregation in residential areas
- ✅ Lifted restrictions on Indian immigration
- ✅ Missionary representative for Africans
- ✅ Rejected settler self-government
- ✅ African interests declared paramount
- ✅ Colonial Secretary retained control
💥 Reactions & Implications
👨🏼 European Settlers
- Rejected Indian calls for equality
- Believed European culture was superior
- Felt White Highlands were legally theirs
👳🏽 Asian Community
- Demanded true racial equality
- Opposed residential segregation
- Wanted common roll elections
- Later joined African trade unions
👨🏿 African Population
- Gained missionary representation
- Had interests declared “paramount”
- Land grievances remained unresolved
📌 Historical Outcomes
- Prevented settler self-rule – Kenya avoided becoming like Rhodesia/South Africa
- Continued settler economic dominance despite weakened political power
- Asian representation delayed until 1933 due to boycotts
- First African representation (through missionary John Arthur)
- Recognized Kenya as African territory with paramount African interests
- Failed to resolve land/labor issues, fueling future political activism
🔑 Key Significance
The Devonshire White Paper formally established the principle of African paramountcy in Kenya while attempting (but failing) to balance competing racial interests under colonial rule.
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