The Importance of Mau's Achievement of Independence In Kenya

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 independence was the British Prime Minister

Macmillan of the conservative government. He had been appointed to try

and her Britain to decolonise. When he was appointed Prime Minister he

ordered a cost analysis to be done, taking note of how much money each

colony made for Britain and how much it was costing the country. His

aim was to decolonise the countries which could take care of

themselves and rule sufficiently but still maintain trade with the

British. He realised things weren't going too well and appointed

Lennox-Boyd to go and take care of things in Kenya and to see if they

were fit to rule themselves.

Lennox-Boyd went to Kenya and reported that it would be at least 15 -

20 years before the Kenyans would be fit to rule themselves as they

were not civilised and not educated enough to run the government of a

country unaided. Lennox-Boyd set up the Lennox-Boyd constitution

trying to settle disputes. However the new committee was unfair to th...

... middle of paper ...

...nce of Kenya,

however the basis of it all began with the Mau Mau, when the kikuyu

tribe were thrown from their homes for a train line to be built, then

made to work for the British, and having to pay hut tax and other such

taxes they were outraged. Many people would just work for the British

in order to keep up payment, but the Mau Mau were determined to beat

the British. In their actions, others who were being exploited

realised, and many joined the cause. Although there were a lot of

issues, the Mau Mau were the main cause of independence. Had it not

been for them protesting, they would have carried on working as second

class citizens in their own country. Although their terror tactics

failed, their influence and presence set off a huge protest through

the country. They eventually got what they had been fighting for.