Conclusion: A ‘Special’ Relationship

Abstract

The language of Kenya being ‘special’ and requiring distinct treatment is one which contemporaries in the British government used with notable frequency and for multiple purposes. There was no single concern which made Kenya matter to the British government, but a combination of multiple and overlapping interests encouraged them to place a high value on this relationship. The overriding British aim was to cultivate ‘friendly’ Kenyans and thus ensure that the country stayed ‘friendly’ to Britain. The British and Kenyan systems of government differed, and how these interacted was crucial to forming policies and establishing relationships. Britain’s bureaucratic system was based on structure and hierarchy. By contrast, the Kenyan neo-patrimonial state meant that individuals were seeking their own benefits in a system which was fractious and in which the rules were not always clearly defined. Despite these differences, British policy-makers did not find it difficult to work with Kenya. Rather than challenging Kenya’s neo-patrimonialism, the British helped to create and then reinforced it. British decision-makers rarely questioned whether this was the best way of understanding Kenya, but rather congratulated themselves on their favoured and frequent access. They were happy to collude with their Kenyan ‘friends’, willing to meet secretly with Kenyans they favoured and to conclude private negotiations and agreements.