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The Importance of Mau's Achievement of Independence In Kenya Essay

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The Importance of Mau's Achievement of Independence In Kenya

The Mau Mau played a very important role in helping Kenya to gain its independence from British rule. Their presence sparked off the growth in nationalist feelings, which made people see that the British were not needed and also made the Kenyans realise just how badly they were being exploited. Although the British didn't give in to the Mau Mau through their terror tactics it made the British both in Kenya and in Britain realise their presence was not accepted and appreciated.

However, as well as the Mau mau, there were a lot of other factors which contributed towards Kenya getting its independence.

A major factor leading to …show more content…

The Africans didn't like the constitution, which later had to be changed. Boyd changed his own constitution to make Africans have more representatives in authoritative positions. However the Africans were still not happy.

Increasing pressure on Britain from the USA to decolonise also spead up the process. The USA was opposed to colonies as they wished to be able to trade freely where ever they wished. When countries had colonies they were limited as to who and what they could trade with.

Pan African Nations were seeing their independence. Kenya had links to Ghana through Mboya, a well educated man who wanted freedom, who also had close ties with the USA. The leader of Ghana was advising Mboya on what action to take, and even offering financial support. The people of Kenya saw countries around them becoming free and made them even more determined.

In order to prevent the Mau Mau causing any more terror, British and kikuyu loyalists would gather up anyone they suspected and put the in detention camps with out trial. In the camps they would be beaten to renounce their oaths of the Mau mau. It was at the Hola camp where this got out of hand, 30 British guards took 11 prisoners out to work. They refused on the grounds that they were political prisoners. The guards beat them for hours, leaving many seriously injured and eleven dead. The guards tried to cover up the story

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