Abstract:
The British colonial policy of indirect saw the introduction of new forms of leadership among the
Nandi in Kenya. Among such new offices were that of the colonial chief, which played an intermediary
role in reconciling the economic interests of the colonialists and the natives. Yet, despite their
significant role, the contribution of colonial chiefs to the economic transformation of the Nandi has
not been documented properly. Available literature largely vilifies these chiefs as agents of a repressive
colonial system. Yet, there are signs that the Nandi chose to retain the names and legacies of some of
these chiefs, suggesting the chiefs could have made some positive contribution to society. The study
thus examined the role of colonial chiefs in economic transformation of the Nandi, Kenya from 1902-
1963. The periods were deemed significant because 1902 was when the chiefs’ ordinance was passed
while 1963 was the year Kenya got independence. The study employed the Elite theory and PrincipalAgent theories. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population
comprised former colonial chiefs, Nandi community elders, current chiefs who knew the history of
their office of chieftaincy in the community. The inclusion criteria comprised variables such as
geographical distribution, age and command of historical knowledge of the Nandi colonial chiefs. Data
was collected using a questioning guideline, interviews and secondary sources. Therefore, apart from
the respondents, the primary sources included archival material on colonial and post-colonial chiefs as
well as their roles, collected at the Kenya National Archives in Nairobi and Kakamega, and the
information from the County Government offices. Oral interviews were tape-recorded. Secondary
sources were obtained from research libraries in Kenya and subjected to content analysis. Data from
the interviews and document analysis was analysed thematically. Data from the questionnaire was
analysed using descriptive statistics. It was found that the colonial chiefs also played a significant role
in the economic transformation of the Nandi through enhanced agriculture, trading and taxation. The
study has underscored the importance of proper documentation of the nature of Kenyan communities
in the pre-colonial period. There is need to harmonize the different narratives that speak of the different
facets of the Nandi origin, migration, settlement and their socio-economic as well as social
organization in the pre-colonial period. Such information will provide a clear backdrop for understanding the positive and negative impact of colonialism, including colonial chiefs on the
community.
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