Sessional Paper Number 10

Summary

African Socialism and Its Application to Planning in Kenya (1965) sets out Kenya’s post-independence economic philosophy. It advocates a mixed economy grounded in African values of social responsibility and democracy, while rejecting rigid capitalism and communism. The paper stresses economic growth as key to reducing poverty and unemployment, supports limited state intervention, encourages private enterprise, and calls for gradual Africanization without harming productivity.

Key Takeaways

• African Socialism is presented as a practical development approach rooted in African social values, not as a rigid ideology.
• Economic growth is identified as the primary means of reducing poverty, unemployment, and inequality.
• The state plays a guiding role in the economy, but private enterprise and foreign investment are encouraged within national goals.
• Nationalization is treated as a limited tool, justified only when private control threatens public or national interests.
• Africanization should be gradual and based on education and skills development, not rapid transfer of existing assets.