Britain’s King Charles has begun a four-day state visit to Kenya, marking his first visit to a former colony.
The visit intends to acknowledge the “painful aspects” of a shared history, which includes almost seven decades of colonial rule.
Accompanied by Queen Camilla, Charles arrived in Kenya overnight and was received by Kenyan President William Ruto in the capital Nairobi on Tuesday morning.
Buckingham Palace has stated that the visit reflects the close cooperation between the two countries in areas such as economic development, climate change, and security issues.
During his visit, Charles plans to meet with entrepreneurs from Kenya’s thriving tech industry, tour wildlife facilities, and travel to the southeastern port city of Mombasa.
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Charles’ visit comes at a time when some former colonies are re-evaluating their ties to the monarchy and calling for Britain to address its colonial past more comprehensively.
Many Kenyans are particularly interested in what Charles will say about colonial-era abuses, including torture, killings, and the widespread expropriation of land, much of which still belongs to British nationals and companies.
The most notorious period of British rule in Kenya was during the 1952-1960 Mau Mau revolt in central Kenya, during which an estimated 90,000 Kenyans were killed or maimed, and 160,000 were detained, according to the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC).
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The UK government has previously expressed regret for abuses during this period, known by Kenyans as “the emergency,” and in 2013, it agreed to an out-of-court settlement of almost 20 million pounds, per Reuters report.
As part of their visit, Charles and Camilla will tour a new national history museum, visit the site where Kenya’s independence was declared in 1963, and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.
Buckingham Palace stated, “His Majesty will take time during the visit to deepen his understanding of the wrongs suffered in this period by the people of Kenya.”