Heroic Kikuyu Fight Back

In 1952: the Government of ‘Kenya announced that it ‘Jess ignored, it is true that the Kikuyu were « “had uncovered a secret society- called Mau Mau, which ‘aimed to organize the nafive population for the over‘throw of the Government.

With,; a Speed unrivalled anywhere in the world, the British “capitalist “Press. began to fill its columns with stories of the -“férrorism’ and ‘atrocities’ “of this organization. “Yet until this time the name ‘Mau Mau’ was almost un“known, and was mentioned in Government reports along “with other suspected ‘tiny societies.of£ very slight influence.

The’ sudden annoincement of the danger of Mau Mau’s -ferrorist conspiracy was a result of invention rather than ‘@iscovery: it. was the excuse for proclaiming ‘a state of anérgency’, and suppressing the Kenya people’s movement Bot indepéndence. ~ .— a ag Commicsicner said: ‘What terrorism?’

One piece of evidence especially supports this. At the ~4ime when the emergency was proclaimed, Mr Davies, Kenya » Native Commissioner, was in London and was asked to “femment on the terrorism’.

He replied: ‘What terrorism? I do not "know of any terrorism, but there is a small subversive element which I think-should be controlled before it’ gets larger’.

To readers of The Newsletter the words he used are no ‘doubt familiar. . .

Why was this moment chosen to repress the Kenya people awith police and. soldiers? Because for the first time there This is the first of two articles by Cliff Slaughter giving » the background to the struggle of the Kikuyu people.

was "developing the real possibility of a joint African and adian organization conimanding the allegiance of all nonforced to adopt violent and conspiratorial methods.

The fact that after the brutal: and savage suppression of .

the last five years. the Government has discovered a new society ‘of the Mau Mau type’ testifies more than anything else to the courage and spirit. of the Kikuyu people.

A few examples of the répressive methods of the ‘emergency’ will show how unbreakable must’ be the spirit of the people.

Collective punishment has always been one of the favourite methods of British imperialism. First’ in the Nyeri and then in other districts, cattle and land were seized from the people.

Then the terribly over-populated native reserves were flooded with thousands cf labourers expelled from the Rift Valley Province, where they at least had had employment. — On November 1, 1953, 700 families were evicted from the Eastleigh area of. Nairobi. Within a few days these people were arrested. as vagrants or arrested along: with other friends who ‘gave shelter to unauthorized persons’.

Special taxes were imposed and freedom of movement for whole areas was suppressed. Arbitrary arrests and the sudden drafting of troops .to towns and villages made the life of Africans one of dread and terrible insecurity.

Often these ‘security checks’ were made the excuse for arresting trade unionists and open spokésmen- of “democratic rights and naticnal independence.

Why is it that measures of this kind were found necessary. by the European settlers? What sort of conditions and experience could -have forced the Kikuyu and their neighbours to a revolt apparently so dangerous? ~ When a régime must resort to measures of this kind, it only condemns its own failure to command the respect and allegiance of the “people: A glance: on Kenya’s “history .will explain the present crisis.

ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDERS’ RANK-AND-FILE Jack Baker, a bricklayer’s labourer and member of the: