King Charles III and Queen Camilla commenced a state visit to Kenya, on Tuesday, where there are widespread calls for an apology regarding Britain’s colonial past.
While this four-day visit is aimed at strengthening the modern-day relationship between the UK and Kenya, the legacy of British colonial rule remains a significant issue.
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This visit marks King Charles III’s first trip to an African and Commonwealth nation since becoming king last year.
The royal couple was welcomed by Kenyan President William Ruto at a formal ceremony.
The visit is intended to highlight the strong partnership between the UK and Kenya but also recognize the painful aspects of Britain’s historical relationship with Kenya, including the suppression of the Mau Mau guerrilla uprising from 1952-1960, which was a bloody chapter in the fight against British rule.
At least 10,000 people — mainly from the Kikuyu tribe — were killed, although some historians and rights groups claim the true figure is higher.
Tens of thousands more were rounded up and detained without trial in camps where reports of executions, torture and vicious beatings were common.
The royal visit also comes as pressure mounts in some Caribbean Commonwealth countries to remove the British monarch as head of state, and as republican voices in the UK grow louder.
– ‘Unequivocal apology’ –
Kenya holds a special significance for the royal family. In 1952, it was where Queen Elizabeth learned about her father King George VI’s passing, marking the beginning of her historic 70-year reign.
This visit to Kenya is also almost precisely four decades since Queen Elizabeth’s state visit in November 1983.
During their time in the capital Nairobi, King Charles and Queen Camilla will engage with entrepreneurs, young Kenyans, and participate in a state banquet hosted by President Ruto.
King Charles will pay his respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Uhuru Gardens, the place where Kenya declared its independence in December 1963.
During their time in the capital Nairobi, King Charles and Queen Camilla will engage with entrepreneurs, young Kenyans, and participate in a state banquet hosted by President Ruto. King Charles will pay his respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Uhuru Gardens, the place where Kenya declared its independence in December 1963.
The royal couple will continue their journey to the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa, with planned stops at a nature reserve and meetings with religious leaders.
Although the program primarily focuses on areas such as the environment, creative arts, technology, and youth engagement, Buckingham Palace has emphasized that King Charles will also take time to better comprehend the hardships endured by Kenyans during colonial rule.
On Sunday, the Kenya Human Rights Commission called for an unequivocal public apology from King Charles for the brutal treatment Kenyan citizens endured during colonial times, along with reparations.
It’s worth noting that in 2013, Britain agreed to compensate over 5,000 Kenyans who suffered during the Mau Mau revolt, with a settlement valued at nearly £20 million ($25 million at today’s exchange rates).
At that time, then-Foreign Secretary William Hague expressed sincere regret but didn’t issue a full apology.
– ‘Time to move forward’ –
“The negative impacts of colonisation are still being felt to date, they are being passed from generation to generation, and it’s only fair the king apologises to begin the healing process,” delivery rider Simson Mwangi, 22, told AFP. But 33-year-old chef Maureen Nkatha disagreed.
“He doesn’t have to apologise, it’s time for us to move on and forward. We are now an independent country and he is not coming to save us,” she said.
“It is embarrassing to always ask the British to pay us for the wrongs yet we want to be treated as independent.”
Kenya and Britain share significant economic ties with a trade volume of approximately £1.2 billion for the year ending March 2023.
However, ongoing tension exists due to the presence of British troops in Kenya, where allegations of rape, murder, and civilian injuries from munitions have arisen.
In August, the Kenyan parliament initiated an inquiry into British army activities, notably near Nanyuki, a town 200 kilometers north of Nairobi.
The UK’s Daily Mail has framed Kenya as the starting point for King Charles’ mission to strengthen the Commonwealth.
Over a dozen countries within the Commonwealth of 56 nations still recognize the UK monarch as their head of state. Nevertheless, several nations, including Jamaica, Belize, and most notably Barbados in 2021, are increasingly inclined to transition into republics.
