The ''kipande'' was an identity document during the British-ruled

Kenya Colony The Colony and Protectorate of Kenya, commonly known as British Kenya or British East Africa, was part of the British Empire in Africa from 1920 until 1963. It was established when the former East Africa Protectorate was transformed into a Brit ...

and featured basic personal details,

fingerprints A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surf ...

and an employment history. The Native Registration Amendment Ordinance of 1920 made it compulsory for African males above the age of 15 to wear it at all times around their necks. The effect of its adoption was to restrict the mobility of Africans radically. The main intent of the policy was supposedly to keep track of the labour pool efficiently. The ''kipande'' caused much resentment as all African males were required to wear it at all times around their necks.Maxon & Ofcansky 2000, pp. 136 The word "Kipande" is also part of some placenames in Kenya.

Notes

Sources

*David Anderson (2000), "Master and Servant in Colonial Kenya", ''

Journal of African History ''The Journal of African History'' (JAH) is a triannual peer-reviewed academic journal. It was established in 1960 and is published by Cambridge University Press. It was among the first specialist journals to be devoted to African history and arc ...

'', 41:459-485. *Maxon & Ofcansky (2000), ''Historical Dictionary of Kenya''. {{Kenya-hist-stub Legal history of Kenya East Africa Protectorate Identity documents

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