The Mau Mau uprising
The Mau Mau, mainly Kikuyu fighters, waged an armed uprising against British colonial rule from 1952 to 1960. The British declared a state of emergency and detained up to 150,000 Kikuyu; the official death toll of 11,503 Mau Mau is widely regarded as an undercount, with other estimates exceeding 20,000.[1]
· Conflict episode
Mau Mau uprising, 1952-1960
The Mau Mau, mainly Kikuyu fighters seeking the return of land and self-rule, waged an armed uprising against British colonial rule from 1952 to 1960, met with a declared state of emergency, mass detentions, and a disputed casualty toll far higher than the official figure.
The 1963 general election
KANU, led by Jomo Kenyatta, won 83 of 124 House of Representatives seats in the May 1963 general election, forming a self-government administration from 1 June 1963.[2]
· Election
Kenya general election, 1963
In the May 1963 general election, the Kenya African National Union (KANU), led by Jomo Kenyatta, won 83 of 124 House of Representatives seats, forming the Madaraka self-government administration from 1 June 1963 ahead of full independence.
Independence
The Kenya Independence Act, 1963, given Royal Assent on 3 December 1963, provided that "on and after 12th December 1963 ... Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom shall have no responsibility for the government of Kenya or any part thereof."[3]
· Declaration
Independence of Kenya, 1963
The Kenya Independence Act, 1963 ended British responsibility for the government of Kenya with effect from 12 December 1963.
United Nations membership
The Security Council unanimously recommended Kenya's UN membership on 16 December 1963, and the General Assembly admitted Kenya the same day.[4][5]
· Recognition
Admission of Kenya to the United Nations, 1963
The Security Council unanimously recommended Kenya's admission to the United Nations on 16 December 1963, four days after independence, and the General Assembly admitted it the same day.
Sources for this page
Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.
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1.
Claim: The Mau Mau, mainly Kikuyu fighters, waged an armed uprising against British colonial rule from 1952 to 1960; the British declared a state of emergency and detained up to 150,000 Kikuyu in detention camps. The official British colonial death toll among the Mau Mau was recorded as 11,503, a figure widely regarded as an undercount; other published estimates put Kenyan deaths at over 20,000, against roughly 32 white European civilians killed by the Mau Mau. No single casualty figure is treated as authoritative.
- Mau Mau rebellion (Wikipedia) link, Casualties section. Source record
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2.
Claim: The Kenya African National Union (KANU), formed in March 1960 and registered on 11 June 1960 following a merger with Tom Mboya's Kenya Independence Movement, was led by Jomo Kenyatta. In the May 1963 general election, KANU won 83 of the 124 House of Representatives seats, forming the Madaraka (self-government) administration from 1 June 1963.
- Kenya African National Union (Wikipedia) link, Formation and 1963 election sections. Source record
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3.
Claim: The Kenya Independence Act, 1963, given Royal Assent on 3 December 1963, provided in Section 1(1): "On and after 12th December 1963 (in this Act referred to as 'the appointed day') Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom shall have no responsibility for the government of Kenya or any part thereof." Section 1(3) provided that "Kenya" includes the territories comprised immediately before the appointed day in the Kenya Protectorate.
- Parliament of the United Kingdom, Kenya Independence Act 1963 (Chapter 54) (3 December 1963) link, Section 1. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
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4.
Claim: On 16 December 1963, at its 1084th meeting, the Security Council, having examined the application of Kenya, unanimously recommended to the General Assembly that Kenya be admitted to UN membership.
- United Nations Security Council, Security Council resolution 185 (1963) (United Nations, 16 December 1963) link, resolution text. Source record
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5.
Claim: The General Assembly, at its 1281st plenary meeting on 16 December 1963, having received the Security Council's recommendation and considered Kenya's application, "decides to admit Kenya to membership in the United Nations."
- United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly resolution 1976 (XVIII): Admission of Kenya to membership in the United Nations (United Nations, 16 December 1963) link, operative paragraph. Source record
Printed from https://independenceatlas.com/movements/kenya/history · last substantive update 24 September 2026.