HISTORY The Effort to have Somalis classified as non-native Africans and Asians in Colonial Kenya was a Waqooyi project

Isaaq Sijuis were campaigning to pay higher taxes in order to be considered non-native Africans and become entitled to same privileges Indian subjects in the colony had obtained. The claim to Asiatic status was based on the claim they were born in the British Raj controlled Aden, therefore they should be considered Indian.

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In 1919 they achieved non-native status and began the poll-tax but things changed in 1936 when a three-tiered poll-tax was introduced. Europeans paid 40 shillings, Indians paid 30s, and 'non-natives' paid 20s. Sijuis were classified in the 20s category, it set off another struggle to obtain Asian status.

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As an aside, the British became sick of the Somali Sijuis, they wanted to deport them back, but ultimately came to accept them.

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In order to drum up more support for their quest to Indian status they wanted to recruit Harti Sijuis (Dhulo and MJ) and NFD nomads to their cause.

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But they failed to recruit the Harti as they didn't have the same Aden birthplace basis to claim Indian status. In retaliation the Isaaq tried to have the Harti Sijuis deported as Italian spies

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They didn't find much success with NFD nomads either. They weren't interested in paying high taxes for Indian amenities they never knew existed, instead they wanted practical things
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Their efforts were realized in 1947 when they achieved full Indian status 🥳
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