DELEGATION TO HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE; MR KHIMASIA HANDS PETITION TO MR NORRIS; MR NORRIS READS AND DELEGATION LEAVE; MR KHIMASIA TALKS TO PRESSMEN.




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Background: BRITISH ASIANS FACED WITH THE LOSS OF THEIR LIVELIHOODS IN KENYA AFTER THE ENACTMENT OF AFRICANISATION LAWS IN THE COUNTRY, PETITIONED THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER IN NAIROBI YESTERDAY, DEMANDING HELP FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

THE DELEGATION, LED BY MR MULCHAND KHIMASIA, WAS FROM THE COMMITTEE OF BRITISH CITIZEN MERCHANTS IN KENYA. THEY WERE MET BY THE HIGH COMMISSIONER, MR ERIC NORRIS.

DURING THEIR DISCUSSIONS, MR NORRIS ASKED THE DELEGATION TO ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WILL BE AFFECTED BY KENYA'S LATEST AFRICANISATION LAWS. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN ESTIMATED THAT SOME THREE THOUSAND BRITISH ASIANS WILL BE REFUSED LICENCES FOR THEIR BUSINESSES. THEY HAVE THREE MONTHS WO WIND UP THEIR AFFAIRS IN KENYA, AND IT THOUGHT THAT, WITH DEPENDENTS, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT SEEK TO ENTER BRITAIN FROM KENYA ALONE WILL REACH 20,000.

AFTER THE MEETING, MR KHIMASIA SAID THAT THE HIGH COMMISSIONER HAD PROMISED TO FORWARD THE DELEGATION'S MEMORANDUM TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, BUT HAD POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS NO PRECEDENT FOR COMPENSATION PAYMENTS FOR THE LOSS OF BUSINESSES.