Colonial Language Policy In Kenya: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Texts, Power Relations, And Educational Practice

Abstract

This study investigates colonial language policy in Kenya through the lens of critical discourse analysis, focusing on how policy texts both reflected and shaped sociopolitical interests and educational outcomes. Drawing on Fairclough’s multidimensional framework, the research analyzes key colonial-era documents, including reports from the United Mission Conference, Phelps Stoke Commission, Prator-Hutasoit Commission, Beecher Report, and Binns Commission, to reveal the complex interplay between language, power, and education. The findings demonstrate that language policy was strategically used to advance missionary, colonial, and elite agendas, with lexical choices and argument structures privileging English and, at times, Kiswahili, while marginalizing indigenous languages. The analysis highlights the ambivalence and contestation surrounding mother tongue education, showing how policy recommendations often mask deeper power dynamics and practical challenges. By situating colonial language policy within broader sociocultural and historical contexts, the paper contributes to ongoing debates about multilingual education and equity in postcolonial societies. The study offers insights relevant to scholars and policymakers seeking to understand and reform language policy in multilingual educational environments.