The great Asian exodus of 1969

The 1960s were a turbulent time for Kenya’s South Asian community. As the decade dawned, the Emergency had ended and Kenya was fast moving to Independence.

The Asians were apprehensive of their future in Kenya. In 1965, the imposition of exchange controls hit the community hard as many had their savings in British banks, or were educating their children in Britain or the US.

Soon, they had to decide whether to take up Kenya citizenship as the two-year grace period was fast coming to an end.

The Nation published some reports of Asians taking up citizenship but the majority remained unmoved.

They thought the “lifetime” stamp to stay in Kenya on their British passports was enough security.

In 1967, the government passed the Immigration Bill requiring all non-citizens to get work permits.

British Asians now had to decide whether to take Kenya citizenship or emigrate to Britain.

In January 1968, The Nation was the first to report that an Asian Exodus was building up; the story hit international headlines a month later.

The Standard had no inkling of this major event except that their London correspondent reported a Bill in the House of Commons to cover British Asians.

Britain announced quota vouchers for South Asians.

The Asian Exodus was in full swing and The Nation went to town with it.

The British High Commission in Nairobi was flooded with voucher applications from Asians.

This crucial event was covered extensively by The Nation, both in words and pictures.

Scenes of Asians at the Nairobi Airport or at the British High Commission with interviews carried out in Gujarati or Punjabi, and written up in English, made good stories.

Its rival could not come anywhere near this reporting, as they had mostly English or Scottish journalists then.