1952–1960Reputable sourceWell documented
The Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya
On the timeline · around 1952–1960 ·
What happened
From 1952 an armed rebellion against British rule and white settlement broke out among the Kikuyu of Kenya. Britain declared a state of emergency and responded with great force, detaining tens of thousands of Kenyans in a network of camps where torture and abuse were widespread. Decades later the British government apologized and paid compensation to surviving victims.
Why it matters
The brutality of the Kenya Emergency laid bare the violence with which Britain tried to hold on to its African colonies — and, once exposed, helped discredit the whole imperial project.
Sources
- Imperial War Museums. The Kenya Emergency · Reputable source