British colonialists influenced popularity of turkey meat in Kenya

Henry Balongo and his turkeys. [PHOTO: Nikko TANUI/STANDARD]

NAIROBI, KENYA; As Kenya celebrated its first Christmas after independence in December 1963, a turkey shortage hit Nairobi butcheries.

Butchers were stretched to the limit as they struggled to meet the high demand for turkey meat.

After exhausting supplies from local abattoirs, the traders turned to the European and American markets.

The growing popularity of turkey meat as a Christmas delicacy among Africans had been influenced by the British colonialists, with the East African Standard describing Britain as the “traditional home of Christmas turkey.”

Newspapers columns observed how despite independence celebrations weeks earlier that had left majority of Kenyans cash-strapped, butchers were recording significant sales of poultry meat.

“The butchers reported increased sales of other poultry compared with other times of the year, although business is not as good as it was in the same period last year,” reported Kenya’s oldest newspaper in one of its December 1963 editions.

According to the paper, demand for turkeys had started to skyrocket ahead of the December 12 celebrations and reached its peak ahead of Christmas as people began stocking up.

Kenya attained independence on December 12, 1963, an occasion that was marked by nationwide celebrations that ran for three days.

Consequently, wrote the East African Standard, there was a gradual build-up to Christmas instead of the normal rush to welcome the festivities.

Even after Britain’s 68-year rule over Kenya ended and the majority of the British settlers and troops left, Nairobi residents did not outgrow their taste for turkey meat, espcially during Christmas.

A survey done by an East African Standard writer noted that the demand for turkeys in December 1964 was still strong compared to the previous years.

“Despite the departure of British troops and their families and the reduction in the number of expatriates, generally the demand for Christmas turkeys and chickens in Nairobi compares favorably with last year,” reported the newspaper.

It further pointed out that three leading firms that dealt in turkey meat had denied suggestions that business was poor.

In another article in the East African Standard ahead of Christmas, it was reported that turkey meat was fast becoming an important dish across the world due to its favourable cost.

“Roast turkey is still a Christmas specialty in many parts of the world. But increasingly, it is a dish that is being eaten throughout the year. One reason: cost,” wrote Barry Wilson.

The writer lamented that the price of red meat had skyrocketed worldwide in recent years while the price of turkey had not budged.

“In those countries where the turkey industry is well developed the price of the meat is little more than half the cost of beef,” wrote Mr Wilson.

He pointed out that the situation was, especially bad in the home of Christmas turkey – Britain.

“In Britain, the home of Christmas turkey, nearly 90 per cent of the country’s output was consumed during the festive season.”

He said scientific advancement had given the bird a new role around the globe, with “specialised computerised breeding systems” being used.

The programmes developed a turkey able to produce 5kg of meat for every 63kg of grain consumed. “This is a feed conversion efficiency that cannot be equaled by any of the four-legged meat producers,” he wrote.

The techniques were credited to Bernard Matthews, a Briton who had turned turkeys into a vast business empire.

“At around age 19 in the 1950s, Matthews bought 20 turkey eggs and a second-hand incubator, kicking off a business that saw him become Britain’s and possibly the world’s biggest turkey producer,” reported the East African Standard. Meanwhile, the build-up to the national celebrations that were expected to herald a new era for the country were marked by intrigues.

Big embarassment

For starters, an agitated section of civil servants had hatched an insidious plan to cut off communication between Kenya and the outside world in the run-up to the independence celebrations in their push for what they called an “uhuru (independence) bonus.”

The Union of Posts and Telecommunications Employees in Kenya and the Transport and Allied Workers’ Union had plotted to shut down Kenya’s communication network as the country celebrated the end of 68 years of British rule in what would have been a big embarrassment for the incoming government.

Had the two lobbies’ plan succeeded, the country would have had no telephone, telegram or teleprinter communication with the outside world during the celebrations unless the contested bonus was paid.

Merchants, in the meantime, went all out to profit from the occasion, buoyed by calls from leaders for Kenyans to decorate their homes and business premises for the independence celebrations.

Also in the run-up to the celebrations, Kenya announced that it would end trade ties with South Africa (due to apartheid) and Portugal (due to its regime in Southern Africa) from December 12, 1963. Representatives from about 76 countries flew in to witness Kenya’s independence celebrations, with 1,700 Kenyan flags flying in Nairobi alone.

As a gesture of goodwill and newfound freedom for the country, 5,000 prisoners were released under the terms of the Independence Amnesty to mark the first ever Jamhuri Day.