The Mau Mau War in Perspective: Eastern African Studies

by Frank Furedi

Overview

The book breaks new ground in following the story of the participants of the rural movement during the decade after the defeat of the Mau Mau. New archival sources and interviews provide exciting material on the mechanics of the sociology of decolonization and on the containment of rural radicalism in Kenya. For the first time an account of decolonization in Kenya based on primary sources is offered to the reader.

The Mau Mau was militarily crushed in the mid-fifties, but the struggle for land rights was only contained in the post independence era of Kenya. Kikuyu squatters on European estates who formed the backbone of this movement are the main subject of this book.

Furedi’s account considers how the radicalization of rural protest in the so-called White Highlands led to the Mau Mau explosion and how it was sustained during the subsequent fifteen years.

The book establishes a focus for discussion of these critical events through exploring the relationship between rural resistance and decolonization. The author argues that the main issue facing post-colonial policies in Kenya was to resolve the problems raised by the Mau Mau revolt.

Written from an interdisciplinary perspective, with a special emphasis on historical and political sociology, this book is aimed at students of African politics and political sociologists interested in rural revolution and revolt.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780821409411
Publisher:	Ohio University Press
Publication date:	12/31/1989
Series:	Eastern African Studies
Edition description:	1
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)
Lexile:	1390L (what's this?)

About the Author

Frank Furedi is in the Chair at the Department of Development Studies at the University of Kent at Canterbury.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgements	x
	Abbreviations	xi
	Glossary of Kikuyu and Swahili terms	xiii
	Maps	xiv
Part I	Introduction	3
	The argument	4
	The Kikuyu squatter	9
	Historical specification	14
	Research method and scope of the study	18
	Notes	20
1	The Squatter Time Bomb	22
	The consolidation of the White Highlands	23
	The limits of settler power	28
	The final assertion of settler power	31
	Notes	37
2	A Community Living on Borrowed Time	40
	Who were the squatters?	41
	The emergence of squatter society	45
	A community under siege	47
	The issues that shaped squatter resistance	52
	A community on the frontier	60
	Notes	71
3	The Politicization of the Squatter Communities	75
	Early political influences	76
	The crystallization of the squatter movement	78
	The Olenguruone factor	80
	The resistance on the farms	83
	The politicization of the movement	88
	Uneasy alliance	90
	The new militants	92
	Notes	99
4	The Split: The Emergence of Mau Mau	103
	The growth of militant nationalism	104
	The emergence of Mau Mau	109
	Towards armed resistance	112
	The state counter-offensive	115
	Revolt and repression	118
	The break-up of the squatter community	120
	Notes	125
5	The Revolt in Perspective	129
	The significance of the split	130
	The KAU and the squatter movement	132
	The revitalization of the KAU and the Kenyatta phenomenon	135
	Reflections on Mau Mau	139
	Notes	143
Part II	Introduction	149
	The ethnic factor	153
	Notes	153
6	The Administration Takes and Loses the Initiative	155
	The controlled reconstitution of the Kikuyu community	156
	The creation of a community of migrants and vagrants	157
	The proletarianization of the squatter community	159
	Decolonization and counter-reform	161
	Institutionalization of discontent	164
	The challenge from below	165
	The growth of the nationalist parties	167
	Notes	170
7	Heading Towards the Showdown: Decolonization in the Highlands, 1961-63	172
	The Highlands in transition	174
	Social unrest	175
	The dilemma of decolonization	181
	Class polarization within the nationalist movement	185
	The challenge to mainstream nationalism	189
	Land agitation	191
	The turning point	199
	Notes	200
8	The Consolidation of Reaction	205
	Demobilizing the mass movement	206
	The consolidation of reaction	209
	From Mau Mau to today	211
	Decolonization in perspective	213
	The problem of national liberation	219
	Notes	222
	Bibliography	225
	Index	231
	Tables
Table 2.1	Origin by district of squatters in Naivasha District, 1919	41
Table 2.2	The relation of labour migration to the Kikuyu Reserves, 1931	45
	Maps
Map 1	Location of the White Highlands	xiv
Map 2	The White Highlands	xv

Editorial Reviews

This promises to be a powerful book: well balanced, well researched, thought-provoking and readable. It has come to grips with many of the questions that have been implicitly raised by Kanogo (1987), Throup (1987), and Spencer (1985). Its particular strengths lie in its attention to: the forest squatters, the role of squatter traders in the townships, and in the fact that it was not the settlers but the Emergency that finally broke the back of squatterdom in the highlands.”—A. S. Atieno Odhiambo, professor of history, Rice University

From the Publisher

Exploring the relationship between rural resistance and decolonization, Furedi (developmental studies, U. of Kent at Canterbury) takes advantage of new archival sources and interviews to clarify the agrarian resistance movement of Kenya's White Highlands of the 1950s. Paper edition (unseen), $15.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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