The Former British Colony and Its Location in Africa
The British Empire had many colonies and territories under its rule during the height of its power. One such colony was Kenya, a coastal nation in East Africa. Following the Second World War and due to the growing socioeconomic and political tensions, the nationalist movements in African colonies grew (Reid, 2019, p. 270).
Nationalist Leaders and Political Parties After World War II
The fight for independence in Kenya was headed by Jomo Kenyatta, the President of the country, who had strong anti-colonial views. Kenyatta headed the Kenya African Union (KAU) during his presidential term. This political organization quickly garnered support from different elements of Kenyan society (Reid, 2019, p. 283). Thus, KAU had a significant impact on Kenya’s fight for independence.
Post-war, the country saw the formation and re-establishment of political parties. In particular, the Kenya African National Union (KANU) and the Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) re-entered the nation’s political scene. If the Kenya African Union stood for a multinational government and peaceful transition, the KANU and the KADU fought for majority African rule and complete political independence from the UK (Reid, 2019, p. 298).
Key Events in the Struggle for Independence and the Day of Freedom
However, the KAU’s agenda was often undercut by the violent activists it attracted, including the Mau Mau rebellion. The rebellion in Kenya throughout the 1950s was one of the critical moments in the movement for the country’s independence. The uprising caused a state of emergency in the country in 1952 and was suppressed by 1955 (Reid, 2019, p. 296). The liberation from Britain was granted to Kenya in 1963, with Jomo Kenyatta elected the country’s first Prime Minister (United States Department of State, 2023). Overall, the transfer of power from the British government to the national government of Kenya was largely peaceful.
Kenyan Independence was officially proclaimed on December 12, 1963. Independence Day was celebrated nationwide with parades, with US Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall present (United States Department of State, 2023). Prince Phillipe attended the ceremony, and Kenyatta and other Kenyan officials wore traditional clothing (Mohamed Amin Foundation, 2023). The official ceremony culminated in unfurling the new Kenyan flag, symbolizing the country’s freedom from British rule. The celebrations also comprised street celebrations with traditional foods, dancing, and singing by the citizens of the newly independent country.
References
Mohamed Amin Foundation. (2023). 12 December 1963: Kenya’s Independence Day. Google Arts & Culture. Web.
Reid, R. J. (2019). A history of modern Africa: 1800 to the present (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
United States Department of State. (2023). Kenya. Office of the Historian. Web.