The Colonial Economy: Railway, Settler Farming and Labour
Colonial History · Colonial Economy
Syllabus tag: KCSE | History and Government | Form 3 | Topic 20 The Colonial Economy
Lesson objectives
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
- Explain the reasons for building the Uganda Railway and the problems of construction.
- Explain the effects of the railway on Kenya.
- Explain why settler farming was encouraged and describe the colonial land policies.
- Describe the methods used to obtain African labour and their effects.
Summary
The Uganda Railway (1896–1901) opened the interior and made the colonial economy possible. To make the railway pay, the British encouraged white settler farming, which required land and labour. Land was taken through ordinances creating the White Highlands and African reserves, and labour was compelled through taxation, the kipande, squatting and forced recruitment.