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Changing the Rule 21

As the years went by Rule 2 was amended to become Rule 21 and included the words ‘Only persons of pure European descent shall be eligible for membership’. Membership was not only restricted to racial descent; there was an understanding that no Jew should be admitted to membership, thus barring many distinguished and worthy men.

From all this, flowed the early discrimination which excluded from Club membership of those other than senior grades of European officialdom and selected unofficials, with an annual income of at least £250 as the benchmark. Not only was there discrimination on the basis of race, an indefensible culture but one which persisted for nigh on seventy years, barriers were also erected between officialdom, subordinates, non-officials and the rest. There was a distinct division between residents of the Hill and those on the Plain.
However, as the 1960s approached, more voices were raised in favor of change. At a Committee meeting two distinguished members raised the use of the Private Dining Room, but ‘after discussion it was agreed that this could not be allowed under any circumstances’. In the following year a motion was proposed that ‘Rule 21 should be interpreted in its widest sense, and that no account should be taken of the candidate’s religious faith, beliefs and practice’. This was clearly an attempt to alter the de facto exclusion of Jews. The motion was lost by 51 votes against 45 in favour, but it was the beginning of the eventual fundamental change which opened membership of the Club to all races. Throughout 1962, there were more pleas for relaxation of the Rule. From Early 1963, the Club was advised by several reciprocating Clubs, headed by Kampala soon followed by Eldoret, Kitale and Rift Valley that they were open to all races.
A Special General Meeting on 26 October 1962 was supposed to take the matter further. The main business was to consider ‘the rules relating to the admission of members and guests’. It went on for hours and two motions proposing change were lost.

Another Special Meeting was called for 24 May 1963 to discuss three resolutions. Attended by 229 members. The first called for the deletion from rule 21 of the words referring to the European descent. The door was just ajar, but although there were simple majorities in favour, they were not enough to satisfy the Club’s rules. The meeting was immediately followed by the 1963 AGM for which only 91 members other than the Committee stayed. This brought severe criticism from a senior member who deplored the fact that so many members ‘should in a moment of pique, perhaps, take no further part in the Club’s affairs’.
The long drawn out affair ended at another Special General Meeting held on 12 July 1963, attended by 328 members and chaired by Mr. Harry Bridger. Requisitioned by 15 members the motion ‘To resolve that: - Rule 21 be amended by the deletion of the words: - Only persons of pure European descent shall be eligible for membership’ was debated. Members were asked to speak only once and ‘not be repetitive’. The meeting was mercifully brief. When it came to the vote, there were 246 votes for, 45 against. The two thirds majority was reached and Rule 21 finally amended.