The Transformation of African Workers in Kisumu County 1895-1963
| dc.contributor.author | Ogola, Margaret | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-08-17T13:31:16Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-08-17T13:31:16Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-07 | |
| dc.description | A Research Thesis Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree Master of Arts (History) of Kenyatta University, July 2025. Supervisors 1. Gordon Omenya 2. Enock Akattu | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study discussed the evolution of African workers in Kisumu County from 1895-1963. The population transformed from native systems of production to new forms of production with new aspects of labour provision, which included wage labour, forced labour and compulsory communal labour. This new labour system restructured labour relations which disengaged many Africans living in Kisumu County, from their traditional production. This led to a fundamental transformation in the lives of African workers that the study has analyzed. The objectives traced the pre-colonial labour relations among the Luo of Kisumu County up to 1895, examined the various colonial labour policies that led to establishment of colonial economy and transformation of African workers in Kisumu County from 1901-1945 and assessed the changing nature of colonial labour policies and practices on African workers in Kisumu County during the decolonization period 1946-1963. The study employed both Articulations of modes of production and modernization theories to examine how the colonial government used the colonial policies to exploit indigenous modes of production that changed the traditional practices and life of the African labourers in Kisumu County. Consequently, Kisumu County transited into a modern entity with profound colonial labour challenges. Methodologically, the research design that was employed included a descriptive survey with interview schedules that were administered to Kisumu County residents who were willing to give information. The target population included pioneer labourers, civil servants, Asians who worked in the railway line construction sites and those who engaged in trade,c hildren and grandchildren of former government representatives Purposive and snowballing sampling methods were employed and a total of 50 respondents who reside in the town were sampled based on age, experience and expertise. Data collection methods include primary and secondary, where government reports and archival data were sought. The results of this research work indicates that the colonial government used discriminative labour policies to exploit Kisumu county’s natural resources using African labour. Africans’ modes of production were transformed from traditional to new modes of articulation. This change in the mode of production, left the African peasant economy unattended. By the mid-1950s African workers of Kisumu had embraced capitalist work ethics however throughout the colonial period labour challenges became a menace that overlapped into the post-colony. Despite the challenges that African went through, the study has revealed that Africans contributed to capitalist economy by providing wage labour and land. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/31264 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | The Transformation of African Workers in Kisumu County 1895-1963 | |
| dc.type | Thesis |