FORMATION OF THE EAST AFRICAN FEDERATION

Attempts to Create the East African Federation

A closer union among East African countries dates far back in the First World War favoured by colonial secretaries and governors for economic development. Common services for Kenya and Uganda in railway, customs, post and telegraph had been started in 1890' s. In 1918 these services were extended and in the 1920's and 1930's Kenyan European settlers strongly advocated for a political union. The successful coordination between Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya led to the formation of the East African High Commission (EAHC) comprising of governors from the three colonies but it was not a federation. In 1960 the Raisman commission and report replaced the High commission with the East African Commission Service (EACS) comprising of three elected leaders from each state but still this was not a federation.

REASONS FOR IT'S ATTEMPTED FORMATION

The chief advocates for a closer union among East African countries would enhance economic development since it would enable the three countries to pull their resources to finance and implement large project of common interest- The white settlers in Kenya who had also taken control of the Kenya highland hoped to extend their area of settlement to Uganda and Tanganyika Highlands too.

The creation of the federation would frustrate Germany's continued demand over the return of Tanganyika it should be noted that Germany lost Tanganyika to Britain after the two wars, The desire to create a settler state under the settler's control in East Africa which would have been like the settlers government in Southern Rhodesia.

The fact that the three East African countries had some aspects of common cultures and traditions boosted by the geographical location would facilitate coordination among the people in the federation.

Perhaps the idea that the three countries shared the same colonial history that is being under the armpits of the same colonial master Britain, Therefore the creation of the federation would be made easy.

The long history of co-ordination among the countries of East Africa stretching back in the 1890's starting with the formation of the common services between Kenya and Uganda, 1948 the EAHC was set up and in 1960 the EACS. Therefore to it's advocates such links would act as a foundation to the formation of the EAF-

Influence of the Accra conference of 1958 that highly called for African unity to defeat neo-colonialism, which was manifested through the balkanisation of the continent. One of it's outcomes was the Ghana-guinea union of 1958. Likewise this conference inspired African members of the legislature to support a fuU political and economic federation in East Africa,