Apology expected from King Charles, who expressed regret for the colonial era in Kenya

During his official visit to Kenya, King Charles III of the United Kingdom expressed his deep regret for the "acts of violence in the former British colony."

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Apology expected from King Charles, who expressed regret for the colonial era in Kenya

King Charles III of the United Kingdom said he felt "great sorrow and deep regret" for the acts of violence that Kenyans were subjected to during their struggle for independence against British colonial rule.

However, in his speech on the first day of his four-day official visit, Charles did not explicitly apologize for the "abhorrent and unjust acts of violence in the former British colony," as demanded by human rights groups and survivors of the colonial era in Kenya.

"THERE CAN BE NO EXCUSE"

As reported by euronews Turkish, Charles stated during a state banquet hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto: "The wrongdoings of the past are a cause of the greatest sorrow and the deepest regret. There were abhorrent and unjust acts of violence committed against Kenyans as they waged, as you did, a painful struggle for independence and sovereignty – and for that, there can be no excuse..."

In Kenya, some are demanding that King Charles offer a direct apology and pay reparations for colonial-era abuses, including torture, killings, and the expropriation of land, much of which remains in British hands.

According to estimates by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), approximately 90,000 Kenyans were killed or maimed and 160,000 were detained during the Mau Mau uprising in central Kenya between 1952 and 1960.

The UK had previously expressed regret for these abuses and agreed to pay only 20 million pounds (24 million dollars) in compensation in 2013.

In his speech, Ruto praised Charles for his "courage and readiness to shed light on the uncomfortable truths that reside in the dark corners of our shared experience."

Ruto also stated, "The colonial reaction to the African struggle for sovereignty and self-rule was brutal and atrocious."

'FULL REPARATIONS'

However, the Kenyan leader hinted that they expect a full apology from King Charles, saying, "While efforts have been made to compensate for the death, injury, and suffering inflicted on Africans by colonial rule, much remains to be done to achieve full reparations."

Prior to the visit, a statement from Buckingham Palace indicated that Charles would acknowledge the "painful aspects of the shared history of the United Kingdom and Kenya" during his visit.

For many, the effects of British colonialism still persist in Kenya, which gained its independence in 1963.

News Source: 12punto