King Charles III visits Kenya: there is no excuse for the acts of violence committed by the British

Charles III Together with Queen Kamila, they began a four-day visit to… Kenya. It is the third country the monarch has visited since taking the throne in September last year. Before the start of the visit, there were calls for him to apologize on behalf of Great Britain for the crimes committed by the British during colonial times, in particular during the suppression of the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s.

In a speech delivered at a reception hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto, Charles III briefly mentioned his family’s ties to the country, recalling, among other things, that it was there that his mother, Elizabeth II, learned in 1952 that he was taking over following the death of her father. throne, and then referred to the “common history” of both nations.

– It is the proximity of our common history that has brought our people closer. But we must also acknowledge the most painful moments of our long and complex relationship. The evil deeds of the past are the cause of the greatest sadness and deepest regret, Charles III said, adding that during the painful struggle for independence and sovereignty there had been “disgusting and unjustified acts of violence against Kenyans, for which there can be no excuse.”

“As I return to Kenya, it is very important for me to deepen my own understanding of these wrongs and meet with some of those whose lives and communities have been so painfully affected,” he said. He stressed that “none of this can change the past,” but by dealing with history with “honesty and openness,” the two countries can “perhaps demonstrate the strength of our friendship today.”

Although Charles III did not directly say that he was sorry – because the government decides on a possible formal apology – but, as the BBC notes, he went much further than last year in Rwandawhen he spoke of the “depth of his personal sadness” over the suffering caused by slavery.

In 2013 year Great Britain expressed regret at the brutal suppression of the Mau Mau uprising and paid £20 million in compensation to 5,228 victims and their descendants.