Misconception about White/European highlands in Kenya

[RV Pundit]

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I've always thought most of Central province was white highlands. It turns out outside the few fringes in Kiambu and Muranga..tiny strip..there was no white or european owned farms in most of Mt Kenya region. Most of the land south of Nairobi was formely owned by Maasai (I think)..Juja farm, Embakasi, Athi River and all the way to Konza...although Kambas now claim it.

It seem Europeans singularly disposed Kalenjin and Maasai of their land. These were communal pastures where people didn't live in and Europeans deemed them mostly vacant. Disregarding the dual land tenure that Maa and Kalenjin kept...where settlement were in one place...and then a pasture land (most of nakuru,uasin gishu, tranzoia) was free for everyone.

[Omollo]

some annoying self adulation and arrogance: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1958/oct/30/kenya-white-highlands

Mr. Profumo: One moment. I am trying to show that the land is being properly worked, and that is what really matters.
In terms of material progress between 1954 and 1957, there was a 30 per cent. increase in annual net capital expenditure per acre, a 34 per cent. increase in spending on mechanical equipment, and a 64 per cent. increase on permanent improvements excluding buildings. In accordance with the move away from cereals monoculture to animal husbandry, dairy cattle increased by 20 per cent., beef cattle by 35 per cent. and sheep by 32 per cent. Despite this, the acreage under crops also has increased by no less than 30 per cent.

These figures show that the strenuous efforts made by the Europeans are producing real and solid progress of which its authors can be proud. They utterly belie the mistaken picture in certain quarters of the average European farmer as a playboy landlord. Judged by the standards of good land use, they have every right to their land, and it is fully intended that those who maintain these standards should continue permanently to enjoy it. This development could have been carried out only by private capital and private investment, and if the Highlands were not a European farming area, that capital would have gone elsewhere.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

They generally settled in the highlands.  That would include areas around Mt. Kenya.  They had to leave or move some Africans in strategic locations to provide farm labor.  Displacing them usually meant that they were entirely dependent on mzungu for their livelihood.  If you look at the map, it is shows a good chunk of Central was taken.  The free chunks were mostly forest I think.

[RV Pundit]

I don't think so. Central is left intact there..except for kiambu towards ruiru all the way to makuyu. Rift they took was not highlands...there are mostly the plains of Nakuru,uasin gishu and tranzoia county.

They generally settled in the highlands.  That would include areas around Mt. Kenya.  They had to leave or move some Africans in strategic locations to provide farm labor.  Displacing them usually meant that they were entirely dependent on mzungu for their livelihood.  If you look at the map, it is shows a good chunk of Central was taken.  The free chunks were mostly forest I think.

[gout]

must have been due to population ..for Central there was alimit to which you could push people ...

one gets a feel of white highlands by branching off thika road.... you have to trave about 10 kms before you get to the lands left for mwafrika peasants settlements.... take any road leading to Wangige, Banana, Mangu, Gatanga,  Kandara........ as ypou go farther away from Nairobi the large farms are still intact but closer Nairobi they have been turned into real estate

[RV Pundit]

From the maps it clear. Dagoretti...Limuru...tigoni...you go towards kiambu/Ridge ways..Ruiru..Thika...all the way to Makuyu. I'd say 10Km strip of land. It also seem like most of land the mzungu took was around border. It seem like a border land btw kikuyus, Kambas and Maasai.

Generally the white highlands consist of
1) Land mzungu felt was vacant..this was mostly Maasai nomadic land..which may seem vacant..most of Nakuru,Nyandarua,Uasin Gishu, Tranzoia and Laikipia...was basically Maasai land.

2) Border buffer to prevent tribal clashes...I think Central,Ukambani, Borabu-Kipsigis, Sugar-Cane in Nyanza, part of Nandi can be classified thus...generally the Brits carved out 10Km buffer around hostile tribes and gave out the land to their settlers. This really helped prevent perennially savages from attacking each other and is commendable.

3) Forested Land...where few okieks and likes lived...Kericho, Kiambu {limuru, tigoni}..mzungu took over and deforested the places using Africa labour.

must have been due to population ..for Central there was alimit to which you could push people ...

one gets a feel of white highlands by branching off thika road.... you have to trave about 10 kms before you get to the lands left for mwafrika peasants settlements.... take any road leading to Wangige, Banana, Mangu, Gatanga,  Kandara........ as ypou go farther away from Nairobi the large farms are still intact but closer Nairobi they have been turned into real estate

[Omollo]

What was the population of "central" at the specific period? I use quotes because there was no such thing as "central". So in your response provide the geographical limitations as provided by the statistics your relied upon.

I thank you in advance most profusely

must have been due to population ..for Central there was alimit to which you could push people ...

one gets a feel of white highlands by branching off thika road.... you have to trave about 10 kms before you get to the lands left for mwafrika peasants settlements.... take any road leading to Wangige, Banana, Mangu, Gatanga,  Kandara........ as ypou go farther away from Nairobi the large farms are still intact but closer Nairobi they have been turned into real estate

[RV Pundit]

At the turn of the century; there were probably 1M kenyans. I think Kikuyu population then was 80-100k. Maa were about 40K. Nandi-kipsigis were about 40k. By time Mzungu left I think pop had grown six fold to 6M. Communities that embraced Mzungu like Kikuyu or Luo or Luhya saw their population grow tenfold...as modern medicine reduced mortality.

Interesting fact I have read is that Maa were the most populous tribe in 1850...with about 60-80K folks....then they were ravaged by small pox/civil wars/rinderpest..and mzungu found them at their lowest ebb..and they were so weak..they signed along the dotted line.

What was the population of "central" at the specific period? I use quotes because there was no such thing as "central". So in your response provide the geographical limitations as provided by the statistics your relied upon.

I thank you in advance most profusely