UK hands over colonial files to Kenya, including documents on Mau Mau

The British government has handed over to Kenya a large volume of digitised archives relating to British colonial rule in the country, including documents about the Mau Mau insurgency and prominent figures like the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, among others.

British High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan OBE, delivered the historical archives to President William Ruto on Friday at an event celebrating the inscription of the Gedi national monument as a UNESCO world heritage site.

"Among the 2,658 files and over 300,000 images contained in the archives, there are papers concerning the Mau Mau insurgency, records of collective punishment and detainees, the Kenya constitutional discussions of 1961, files dealing with external affairs and intelligence dossiers of prominent personalities such as Jomo Kenyatta, Paul Ngei, Oginga Odinga, Bernard Mate, Daniel Arap Moi, Masinde Muliro, Joseph Murumbi, Tom Mboya, Joseph Nyagah, among others," the British High Commission said in a statement to newsrooms.

According to Wigan, by making these files available, Kenya have a clearer opportunity to recount its rich history.

"These archives, spanning 1907 to 1968 are a window into our shared history, meaning Kenyans can better tell their own story and offer an opportunity for reflection and understanding," he said.

To assist the National Archives in cataloging the vast amount of information within these records and help preserve Kenya's rich history, the British High Commission will also provide funding for new technology, including computers and a modern digital database.