Guerrilla History The Mau Mau Uprising w/ Nicholas Mwangi (AR&D Ep. 3)
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Feb 21, 2025 Nicholas Mwangi, a writer and member of the Ukombozi Library in Kenya, delves into the Mau Mau Uprising, a significant chapter in Kenya's struggle against British colonialism. He discusses the oppressive policies that sparked the uprising, including land dispossession and taxation. Mwangi highlights the coalition of workers and veterans who united for justice, details key battles, and addresses the brutal colonial responses. He emphasizes the legacy of the uprising and its relevance to contemporary struggles for land and freedom in Kenya.
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Colonial Kenya's Settler Ambition
- The British colonial rule in Kenya aimed at permanent settler colonization similar to South Africa and Zimbabwe.
- This resulted in violent land alienation, labor exploitation, and racial segregation starting from the late 19th century.
Trade Unions Empower Resistance
- Trade union movements and general strikes between 1940 and 1950 galvanized solidarity among workers and peasants.
- This fusion sharpened the struggle and laid ideological groundwork for the Mau Mau uprising.
WWII Veterans Spark Militancy
- Veterans returning from WWII brought experience and heightened militancy to anti-colonial struggles across Africa.
- Their unmet expectations fueled a significant escalation in Kenya's independence movement post-1945.