African History: The Impact Of Colonization In Kenya

The impact of colonization in Kenya
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Table of contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………3
Brief history………………………………………………………………………………………3
Impact on religion………………………………………………………………………………4
Impact on the culture……………………………………………………………………………5
Impact on the society…………………………………………………………………………6
Impact on the economy…………………………………………………………………………7
Political impact …………………………………………………………………………………7
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………8
Introduction
Great Britain used to brag that ‘‘the sun never sets on the British Empire’’ and true to their word, around 85% of the world was colonized by Europe. Between the years 1884-1885, the Berlin conference was held where European countries met to discuss the future and partitioning of Africa. They saw the continent as an empty place which had vast mineral resources that had to be exploited with little regard to the inhabitants. Their colonization of Africa led to some changes that exist to date. This paper will deliberate on the impacts of colonization in Kenya. It will specifically focus on the cultural, religious, economic, political and social impacts.
Brief history
Cushitic-speaking people from North Africa settled in the North before 2000 BC and occupied parts of East Africa parts of what is now called Kenya. In the 1st century AD, the Kenyan coast was frequented by Arabs who mainly traders because of its proximity to the trading routes (Oonk 66-79). The Arabs and Persians established small colonies there which changed hands over time. The Nilotes and the Bantus moved into the area in the first millennium AD and chose to settle in the mainland. This is just the history of how the people came to occupy the land, but the history of the country can be traced back to the Berlin conference of 1885 where European countries met and discussed the partitioning of East Africa. Kenya and Uganda were awarded to the Britons while Tanzania was given to the Germans and later to Great Britain (MERITT 585-597). When the settlers first moved into the country, they were allowed a say in government while the local population and the Indians did not have any. However, this changed in 1944 when Eliud Mathu was elected as a member of the LEGCO hence representing the majority black population. When the country finally gained independence in 1963, the white man had stepped down from power and allowed the first black president Mzee Jomo Kenyatta to lead the country. From then there was a full representation of Africans in the government.
Impact on the religion
The impact that the Europeans had on the religion of the country is evident to date. Before their arrival, each community had its gods whom they depended on for guidance. They also practiced witchcraft in some communities. In their various forms of worship, the inhabitant offered sacrifices to appease the gods and be granted more blessings. When the Europeans arrived and found these religious practices, they termed them as barbaric and introduced what they considered to be the ‘superior’ religion. People were forced to abandon their ways and follow what the white man was preaching. A good example is the Kikuyu community which dominates central Kenya. They had their version of the creation theory and believed that God lived in Mt. Kenya the highest mountain in the country. Another example is the Abaluhya community which dominates parts of western Kenya. They had their version of creation that resembled that of Christianity but soon found themselves abandoning their religion in preference to the one being introduced by the Europeans. There is a saying among many African countries that the gun followed the cross. This means that the white people first came in a friendly manner in the form of spreading Christianity. Most African communities welcomed them while others were hostile to them, but due to their friendly nature, many communities welcomed them. They later came with guns which Kenyans had never seen before and conquered the nation spreading Christianity with it.
Before their arrival, education was informal, but they decided to introduce education. The curriculum provided included Christian religious studies, and most people grow up studying them. Today the nation is largely dominated by Christian communities and were it not for colonization maybe people would still be believing in their traditional gods. Since the studies had already been integrated into the education system the number of Christians in the country has been growing ever since. In 1962 the 10.5% of the total population but over the years the number has risen, and in 2002 it went up to 66%. The British did not like the indigenous beliefs that the locals had and for that reason introduced Christianity. The introduction of Christianity led to many people going away from the traditional beliefs. Critics have argued that t...