Uhuru to Jamhuri* with Concern

Independence celebrations are as common in Africa as bananas, but last week Kenya outdid itself with its second in a year. For all practical purposes, the former British colony gained independence last year, but to facilitate administrative changeovers, Britain retained symbolic sovereignty by making Kenya a dominion. Last week saw the progression from mere uhuru (freedom) to jamhuri (republic). Though Kenya remains a member of the Commonwealth, Jomo Kenyatta, who had been Prime Minister, duly changed his title to President, replacing Queen Elizabeth as head of state.

At Nairobi Airport, the last British combat troops--80 in all-- slow--marched through ranks of the native Third Kenya Rifles to the strains of Auld Lang Syne, then were whisked away aboard an R.A.F. transport. That midnight, before 50,000 in a Nairobi stadium, Kenyatta's new presidential stand ard was unfurled--crossed spears super imposed on a tribal shield, flanked by a crowing cock.

Visible Disappointments. The celebrations in Nairobi featured a marathon run by Ethiopia's Olympic Winner Abebe Bikila, feathered tribal dancers, and Guinea's Ballets Africains, which offered only one disappointment--the girls wore brassieres. For all the festive folderol, Kenyans were less than delirious--they are waiting for the jam in jamhuri. A year of independence has brought more problems than prosperity. Kenyatta remains one of Black Africa's more responsible statesmen, and he retains some ties with the West--in one case literally: Kenya's latest postage stamp shows Jomo wearing his old school tie, that of the London School of Economics.

But recently Kenyatta joined other African states in criticizing the U.S.Belgian rescue operation in the Congo, welcomed Congolese rebel leaders to last week's ceremonies, during which he dedicated a Communist-financed "Lumumba Institute" that will train government party officials in "socialism and patriotism." Also present: a large Red Chinese delegation, which will stay on for trade talks. There are reports that planeloads of Kenyan "students," trained in subversion in Russia and Red China, have debarked secretly at Nairobi Airport.

O.O. Problems. Almost certainly the man behind increasing leftist intrigue is "Mr. Double O"-Oginga Odinga, formerly Kenyatta's Home Minister, who wound up as Vice President in Kenyatta's new Cabinet, a post that theoretically limits his powers but in the eyes of most Kenyans makes him heir to Kenyatta. Odinga is a well-entrenched leader of Kenyatta's KANU Party, which is now the only one in Parliament after the country "voluntarily" turned itself into a one-party state; he regularly visits Peking, and he receives Russian and Red Chinese financial support. Perhaps only tough, able and reasonable Tom Mboya, 34, who became Minister for Economic Planning and Development in the new government, may end up in a position to stop Odinga from succeeding Kenyatta. The question matters because Kenyatta admits to 74-but has been 74 for a long time.

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