WHERE IS OUR AFRICAN HISTORY? VETERAN JOURNALIST AND HISTORIAN JOHN KAMAU ASKS HD

Decorated Kenyan journalist and historian, John Kamau, one of the Editors of the Mau Mau Chronicles, traces the history of colonialism in Kenya in this extended interview. He tells of how missionaries served, knowingly or unknowingly, as the vanguard of imperial occupation, which was solidified at the Berlin conference of 1885 that curved up the African continent among the great European powers of the time. He also tells of the Imperial British East Company, the British corporation that first claimed Kenya for the British, the introduction of eucalyptus trees in Nairobi, and of the transition of the territory that later became known as Kenya to Protectorate, and then Colonial status. To help in the administration of the new British sphere of influence, laws were imported from India, South Africa and England, with Kenya-specific laws being enacted at the center of the Empire for the purpose. The imperial occupiers used modern weapons and mercenaries - such as the bloodthirsty Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen whose trail of murders spread from Murang'a to Nandi - to suppress African resistance. Kamau faults the teaching of history of Kenya, which has continued to put emphasis on colonial history and asks: Where is our history? By our history he means the history of the African peoples, which is often ignored or deliberately elided in a continuing project to change colonial narrative from what it really was - an episode of brutal oppression - to its glorification as a justifiable civilising enterprise.

[@bang8534]

This kind of work needs to be heavily funded by government because it's very critical for African self determination

[@maumauchronicles4296]

Couldn't agree more. But government tends to think funding is for physical infrastructure only.

[@cytkl]

Govt = mbeberu dogs.

[@florencekimotho887]

@@maumauchronicles4296 We the people must find ways to band together and start making things happen. The government is kamatimu gene infiltrated

[@cegesl4521]

This is our history that needs to be recorded

[@bang8534]

I like this. Until we tell our own history, we shall not get out of the York of subjugation to European leeches. We must tell our children our own history and instill in them a sense of patriotism and pride in who we are. Only then shall we raise to take our rightful place in the world.

[@maumauchronicles4296]

They say history is the mother discipline. Know your past and the future will not surprise you.

[@cedrickiplimo2991]

I keep wondering to myself how something as obvious as the need to teach our own history in the schools doesn't permeate the minds of most Kenyans, or at least our leaders. It's difficult to develop patriotism when you're taught to esteem your colonial master and see them as superior

[@cytkl]

The worship of a pink jesus is the worst mental illness among africans ​@@cedrickiplimo2991

[@cedrickiplimo2991]

John Kamau writes very insightful articles on Sunday Nation. I am told hes authored a few books. What are their titles and from where can they be bought?

[@risperkariuki1459]

I'm waiting with you.

[@florencekimotho887]

@@risperkariuki1459 Me too

[@amitghosh3711]

And these are the muzungus who go around talking about human rights?🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@maumauchronicles4296]

It is not wrong for them to attack human rights abusers. The problem is forgetting their own role in popularizing and setting the bar for human rights abuse.

[@cytkl]

Mzungus ndio shetani there is no other devil in a hole of fire. Ukifa unakuwa energy He speaks with a forked tongue. And only come to kill steal and destroy.

[@cegesl4521]

He talks about it when it suits him evil 👿

[@danielm2715]

@@cytklthat’s the comment I have been waiting

[@cytkl]

Waafrika wajinga wanaoabundu wabeberu na kuwachukia wenzao are the Problem. Otherwise these pink demons wld not be in kenya today. There is his Story and our Story

[@charjl96]

Good question. Where is your history, African?

[@abdiadan4837]

Very greatly appreciated your wealthy wisely learnedly about the real history of Africans that is hidden & lies recorded by others given to us as our history, welldone to un dress long laboured lies, where is the great history of ancient African kingdoms that are everywhere in African sites historical archaeological sites every where in Africa, African were worshiping GOD b4 the wt devils came to Africa to only loot & Robb minrals

[@aulenebeckford6268]

No reply great!

[@JP-zy7xb]

the church is guilty thats why they cant teach this history to kenya children yet they teach abraham.issac jewish traditions.

[@clementgavi7290]

The tragedy is that the imperial occupations and colonisation that have lasted centuries, haven't been factors of development, human fulfilment and well-being for any of the colonised. Thus, since God's thought creating Africa and the other continents is an order and a mercy, all these things have then been a disruption to God's order. And as last consequence, an unbalanced world. An imbalance which takes shape in these dramas which characterize the world.

[@florencekimotho887]

I agree about the imbalance. We are not in our own environment so we cannot enter into the real profile we are to usher in equilibrium. I wonder why they would want us to be like them and yet they claim to be SUPERIOR to us.

[@clementgavi7290]

@@florencekimotho887 The problem isn’t the fact that they wanted us to be like them or claimed that they are superior. Because, we ourselves can want to be like others, etc. The manners and the results.