THE SOCIAL AND WELFARE ASSOCIATION IN WEST AFRICA
These were organizations formed by educated people, workers and members of churches. They did not aim at the overthrow of colonial rule, but rather to struggle for: -
i. Better education
ii. High salaries
iii. Representation in legislative and executive council
iv. Respect of Africa n rights in the colonial systems.
Examples of the social and welfare associations include: -
i. The aborigines’ right protection society (ARPS). It was formed in 1897 in Ghana oppose the British land bill which planned to give them control over all the unoccupied land in the gold coast. This associations had branches in Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
ii. The national congress of British west Africa (NCBWA). It was formed in 1919 and held its first meeting in 1920 in Accra, Ghana. It demanded reforms and called for the formation of a legislative council in every British – controlled territory. It also pressed the British government to keep half of the seats in the legislative council for the Africans elected by the people.
THE SOCIAL AND WELFARE ASSOCIATIONS IN EAST AFRICA
These were groups made on servants such as teachers, clerks, drivers and the educated elites in urban areas.
Their Demands Included: -
i. To improve Africa n education
ii. To secure better salaries
iii. To oppose colonial discrimination at working area
iv. To secure better prices for peasant crops.
Examples of Welfare Associations included: -
1. Tanganyika territory African civil servant association (TTACSA). This was formed in 1922 under Martin Kayamba in Tanga. It comprises of members from different ethnic groups and religious backgrounds.
2. The Africa n association (AA). This was formed in 1929 in Dar es Salaam. Most of its members were teachers and clerks. It established branches in Dodoma in 1934 and spread all over Tanganyika to struggle for: - improved education, good wages, good working condition. In 1948, the African association changed and was renamed into Tanganyika African association (T.A.A).
3. The young Kavirondo association. This was formed by the students led by a teacher Jonathan Okwiriri in Kenya. The association demanded: abolition of Kipande system, the decrease of poll and hut tax, excluding women from paying tax, increase in the salaries, access to land, elimination of forced labour.
The kikuyu central association
This was founded in 1924 in Murang’a, Kenya under the leadership of Harry Thuku.
Its demands were:
i. To end land alienation
ii. To end racial discrimination
iii. To end banning of growing cotton and coffee by the Africans
iv. Right have Africa n representative in (LEGICO)
v. To oppose church of Scotland mission which prevented female circumcision.
In 1928 Jomo Kenyatta became its secretary
Reasons for Formation of Welfare Association.
1. Discrimination against African workers. Employment in the colonial period faced discrimination according to one’s race. The top most occupations were reserved for Europeans, the middle positions were for Asians (Arabs and Indian) and Africa ns were given the lowest positions. The qualification for one’s employment position was determined by colour. The associations like Young Kavirondo Association (Y.K.A), Central Kikuyu Association (C.K.A), Tanganyika Territorial civil Servants Association (TTCSA) and the like were advocating for equal representation in the LEGCO.
2. Low wages.
Teachers, clerks, nurses or wound dressers as they were called during colonial time, were paid very low wages hence they decided to form welfare Associations in order to discuss their demands, hence the formation of different welfare Associations.
3. Poor living and working conditions.
Africans in urban areas were found to reside in shanty areas and slums. These areas were characterized by improper housing, poor sanitations and hygienic services. African worked for so long but on top of that they received harsh treatment in places, poor health conditions in work places and the like but worse enough was that even if they got injury nobody cared for them and if somebody died no nobody cared. For example, Tuberculosis was a persistent killer disease among south African miners but nobody cared for them leaving a big number of Africans killed by TB in the mines, hence this situation made the m later form welfare association in order to fight for their rights.
4. Unfair Taxation
Tax was introduced for income and compelling Africans to work, different forms of taxes were introduced in Africa For Example, Poll tax, hut tax, Matiti tax and the like, the Welfare Associations were formed in order to fight to end this unfair taxation system. For Example the Young Kavirondo Association (Y.K.A) was formed by Jonathan Okwiriri in Kenya one of its aims being to fight for exclusion of women from paying tax, hence the reason for formation of Welfare Association.
5. Banning of workers trade unions.
The workers living in urban areas found themselves compelled to join welfare associations since the workers-based associations were forbidden by the colonial government until very late in 1940’s. The African workers were among the educated elites who provided leadership in welfare associations.
6. African educated elites.
The colonialist opened schools in order to ensure the constant supply of workers who could assist the colonial administration at different levels and in different colonial posts. Instead, Africans used their education to mobilize their welfare associations within their areas. The educated people helped the Africans in urban areas to establish social and welfare associations on proper channels.
How Did the Welfare Associations Operate?
The welfare associations developed through various ways such as:
1. Through meeting.
Meetings were held where by every member of the association aired out grievances and opinions. E.g TTCSA of Martin Kayamba, used this method in the fights for the rights of its members in colonial Tanganyika.
2. Through signing of petitions and sending those petitions to the colonial government.
For Example, Ukamba Members Association (UMA) in Kenya and Kikuyu Central Association (CKA) in Kenya used this method to air out the problems of land alienation.
3. Through organized protests and demonstrations to the colonial authorities.
4. Through economic empowerment of the association.
E.g the CKA raised funds to send Jommo Kenyatta to London to present their grievances to the colonial state.
5. Through publishing journals. The journals acted as a communication channel for reaching out their supporters.
