Middle Africa: Behind the Mau Mau Rebellion

When the Mau Mau rebellion broke out in Kenya in the fall of 1952, the American press was quick to interpret it as a “terroristic” uprising by a people barely a few generations away from “savagery.” It was said that Mau Mau was primarily anti-Christian and anti-European, and had as its basic aim the removal of all whites from Kenya. Amid these sensationalistic charges, almost no one troubled to investigate the possible social and political factors underlying the uprising. It was hardly even considered that Mau Mau, despite its “terroristic” manifestations, might be an authentic expression of African needs and demands.

Like the rest of tropical Africa, Kenya has undergone significant social and e...