Lancaster House Conferences (Kenya) facts for kids
The Lancaster House Conferences were important meetings held in London. These meetings happened three times: in 1960, 1962, and 1963. Their main purpose was to plan how Kenya would become an independent country. They also decided on Kenya's new government rules.
These conferences marked the end of over 70 years of British colonial rule in Kenya. This means Britain had controlled Kenya for a very long time. The meetings helped Kenya gain its freedom.
Contents
The First Meeting (1960)
The first Lancaster House Conference took place in January 1960. It was led by Iain Macleod, who was a British government official. He was the Secretary of State for the Colonies. This role meant he was in charge of Britain's colonies around the world.
During this first meeting, the different groups from Kenya could not agree on everything. Because of this, Macleod created a temporary set of rules for Kenya. This was called an "interim constitution." It helped manage the country until a full agreement could be reached.
The Second Meeting (1962)
The second conference started in February 1962. In this meeting, leaders worked on a plan for Kenya to govern itself. This was a big step towards independence. It meant Kenyans would start making more of their own decisions.
The Final Meeting (1963)
The last Lancaster House Conference happened in 1963. This meeting was very important. It finalized all the plans for Kenya's independence. Kenya became a Dominion. A Dominion is a country that is independent but still has a link to the British Crown. This marked the official end of British rule.
Throughout all three meetings, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, gave clear instructions. He wanted the interests of the white settlers in Kenya to be ignored. White settlers were people from Britain who had moved to Kenya. Macmillan wanted to make sure negotiations continued until Kenya had "real and complete independence."
Some members of the British Conservative Party were not happy about this. They wanted Britain to find a way to delay Kenya's independence. However, the British government pushed forward. They wanted to ensure Kenya became fully independent.
See also
- Fitz Remedios Santana de Souza
Sources
- Perilous journey to freedom
- Historical background to law review squabbles
- (1963 Constitution of Kenya)
