King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi where Kenya declared independence in 1963. This was aimed at showing remorse and solidarity with Kenya.
Their Majesties arrived in Kenya yesterday evening. In the morning, they were welcomed at State House with an inspection of the military guard of Honour.
They arrived at Uhuru Gardens after a formal welcome at State House where they received a 21-gun salute followed by bilateral talks with President William Ruto.
At Uhuru Gardens, hundreds of civilians lined up on Lang’ata Road to welcome Their Majesties as a military band played. Kenyans are elated to have the majesties in the country. Most are eager to receive a formal apology from the monarch for the harm of the colonial rule in the country.
Operations at the busy Wilson Airport were suspended with no aircraft landing or taking off until after the King and Queen’s event was over.
They received a warm welcome, greeted by the President who was accompanied by First Lady Mama Rachel and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla then planted ceremonial African fern pine trees at the State House Nairobi lawn.
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Their Majesties are on a four-day visit to the country where the King is expected to acknowledge “painful aspects” of the UK’s colonial past. They have an elaborate itinerary in Nairobi and Mombasa in the historic visit aimed at solidifying Kenya-UK relations.
Mau Mau Uprising
More than 10,000 people were killed and others tortured during the brutal suppression of the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s, one of the British Empire’s bloodiest insurgencies. Most were killed, others maimed just for standing up for themselves.
The resistance group remained outlawed and was designated a terrorist organisation by the colonial government and subsequent administrations in independent Kenya which did not overturn the ban. Anyone who was part of the group or suspected to be ended up in prison or killed.
It was only in 2003 that the law was changed, and members of the Mau Mau were finally recognised as freedom fighters. The Mau Mau rebels were honoured by the late President Mwai Kibaki, terming them heroes. This recognition was augmented by the promulgation of the Constitution in 2010 which saw the national heroes honoured.
“We are honouring a great man who not only sacrificed his life for the liberation of Kenya but also inspired others to fight against oppression,” Kibaki said on February 18, 2007, as he unveiled Kimathi’s statue in the City.
Consequently, MauMau fighters are expecting a formal apology from the monarch during this visit. Both because of the murders propagated by the British soldiers and also for terming them as terrorists when all they did was fight for their freedom.
The visit from the monarch is set to solidify the trade relations between Kenya and Britain going forward.
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