History

World War I and the Famine of 1919

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Published on Saturday, 30 June 2007 23:02

The debilitating economic condition laid down before the war were amplified during the war. Other than being sent for ‘outside work’ for their rebellious conduct in 1914, more Gusii labor was needed in the war against the Germans as Carries Corps (C.C.). In the two years 1914-1916, a total of 21, 864 men were sent out to work within a period of 18 months - an average of 1,215 men per month for 18 consecutive months (KNA/DC/KSI/1/2/1916. Table 1 below shows the number involved in the war in relation to other types of labour. In all, a total of 42,990 people were recruited for labor between 1914 and 1918 from the district. Of course, it was not possible to mobilize all that labor without coercion. Consequently, the district witnessed the worst forms of forced conscription never before known. Youths were rounded up during sports meetings, which were now frequent. Others were taken from their huts at night. The chiefs and headmen used all manner of force to produce the required labor under strict orders from the DC.

Table 1: Labor Recruitment During World War I

Year Carries Corplabor Other labor Total
1914/15 8,915 5,055 13,972
1915/16 6,822 1,070 7,892
1916/17 9,558 1,658 11,216
1917/18 8,758 1,052 9,810

Source, KNA/DC/KSI/1/2, 1914-18.

The effects of such large numbers of able-bodied men being uprooted from their homes were soon evident. After suffering in the war, they returned to face the famine and pestilence of 1918-19. The war years were ones of gloom and depression, partly because of the general upset of markets and partly due to the shortage of able-bodied labor. The land under cultivation decreased. Simsim production came to naught due to the closing of markets in 1914-15 (KNA/DC/1/2/1915), and wheat was not produced owing to the disturbed state of affairs among the Gusii. There was need for the Gusii to grow maize, but the result of the distribution of a ton of seed for planting was disappointing, although the effort was to encourage the planting of at least a quarter acre for every hut (Gordon, 1946:43) the dearth of labor rendered the scheme impracticable.

As a result of war, trade was upset and restricted. The Gusii were impoverished, poor and hungry and agricultural produce fetched less money than in the pre-war years. The price of cattle equally dropped. The prices of imported goods rose steadily and, to make matters worse, taxes were raised during the war. Because Gusii purchasing power fell, 75% of the Indian shops had to close down temporarily. Trade in foodstuffs ceased almost entirely. Only a few Gusii could afford to pay 4 rupees for a blanket, which before the war had cost less than 1 rupee (Gordon, 1946:43). The sale of bicycles, which had been stepped up before the war, dropped drastically.

A large number of animals were confiscated on various pretexts. Many informants attested to the fact that a lot of cattle were lost during the war. 3,000 heads of cattle were sized as punishment during the 1914 revolt, In 1916/17 year alone the DC. Hemmant estimated that 5,200 head of cattle and 1,200 sheep and goats were sold out of the district (KNA/DC/KSI/1/2/1917). No figures are available for those sold within the district, yet there was a large number of soldiers and carrier corps in the district to be fed mainly on local beef. Equally, there were frequent outbreaks of rinderpest. Only a precipitant like drought was required to almost deplete livestock both as a source of food and in exchange for food.

The number of animals sold during the war shows the amount of pressure put on the Gusii by taxes. Hut tax figures show a steady increase before, during and after the war (see Table 2 below). Both hut and poll taxes, which stood at 3 rupees before the war, were hiked to 5 rupees in 1915 – an increase of 66.6%. In view of the fact that the markets for cash crops were interrupted with at this time, the obvious inference is that money for paying taxes was acquired through the sale of livestock and from labor earnings.


Table 2. Hut Tax Payment in Kisii Per Location (in Rupees)