The political economy of self-help: Kenya's Harambee Institutes of Technology

Since mid 1971 local self-help committees throughout Kenya have been raising large sums of money for this establishment of harambee institutes of technology. By April 1973 such institutes had been proposed for Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Nyeri, Embu, Meru, Yatta, Mombasa, Kajiado, Kericho, Nakuru, Kihencha, Kisii, Kisumu, Kaimosi, Kakamega and Sang'alo. The plans of the proposed institutes vary a great deal, but most of them are aiming to provide some kind of technical training to those who have finished secondary school form TV. In this paper we try to place this fascinating fund-raising campaign in its political and economic background and to look forward at the possible effects that the establishment of such institutes might have on Kenya's economy and society.