Mau Mau

The episode investigates the Mau Mau uprising in colonial Kenya, revealing how British forces suppressed the rebellion and systematically destroyed evidence of widespread torture and detention. It centers on historian Caroline Elkins' research and a 2013 UK court case where survivors won an apology and compensation. The story reframes Mau Mau from a 'savage' insurgency to a justified anti-colonial struggle met with state violence and cover-up.

It exposes a suppressed chapter of colonial violence and the decades-long fight for acknowledgment by survivors, reshaping how we understand empire and memory.

1. 01The British government destroyed or removed thousands of colonial documents before leaving Kenya, part of a broader pattern across former colonies.
2. 02Over 1.5 million Kikuyu were detained in brutal camps during the Mau Mau emergency, a fact long suppressed.
3. 03A 2013 UK High Court settlement forced the British government to acknowledge and apologize for torture committed during the suppression of the Mau Mau.