During a state dinner hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto, the British monarch expressed his deep remorse for the “abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence” inflicted upon Kenyans during their struggle for independence.
Charles III stated, “None of this can change the past, but by approaching our history with honesty and openness, we can perhaps demonstrate the strength of our friendship today and, in doing so, we can, I hope, continue to build an ever closer bond for years to come.” He emphasized his desire to meet those affected by colonial abuse.
The royal visit, occurring just before the 60th anniversary of Kenya’s independence, marked Charles III’s first visit to a Commonwealth country as King.
The trip symbolized the “strong and dynamic partnership between the United Kingdom and Kenya,” according to the British embassy, and provided an opportunity to address the painful aspects of their shared history.
Notably, the Mau Mau uprising, which resulted in the death of over 10,000 Kenyans and 32 settlers between 1952 and 1960, was a dark chapter in this shared history.
In 2013, after a series of legal proceedings, the UK government agreed to compensate over 5,000 Kenyan victims of colonial abuse. Despite this, calls for an unconditional public apology and reparations from the British government persist, as voiced by the Kenyan Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and other organizations.
