King Charles calls for honesty and openness about Britain’s colonial past in Kenya

King Charles expresses regret for Britain’s colonial abuses in Kenya

King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in Nairobi, Kenya for a state visit. At a banquet on the first night of the visit, the King expressed regret for Britain’s colonial abuses in Kenya, but did not apologize directly.

He said that there was “no excuse” for the “abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence” committed by the British during the colonial era, and that he wanted to “deepen [his] own understanding of these wrongs”.

Kenyan president Ruto demands further reparations for colonial abuses

Kenyan president William Ruto also spoke at the banquet, and called for further reparations for colonial abuses.

He said that Britain and Kenya could not “live in denial of history”, and that the British had inflicted “death, injury and suffering” on Kenyan Africans. He praised the King for his “visionary leadership” on the issue, but said that much more needed to be done to achieve full reparations.

King Charles’ speech highlights special meaning of Kenya for his family

In his speech, King Charles also highlighted the special meaning of Kenya for his family. He said that it was in Kenya that his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, found out that she was Queen.

He also mentioned the Prince and Princess of Wales, saying that it was in Kenya that Prince William proposed to Catherine Middleton.

King Charles calls for unity and strength

King Charles concluded his speech on a positive note, saying in Swahili: “Umoja ninguvu”, which means “Unity is Strength”.

Kenya-UK relations to prosper under King Charles’ leadership, says President Ruto

Kenyan president William Ruto said that he was confident that Kenya-UK relations would continue to prosper under King Charles’ leadership.

He praised the King for his “exemplary courage and readiness to shed light on uncomfortable truths that reside in the darker regions of our shared experience”.

Conclusion

King Charles’ visit to Kenya is a significant step in addressing the country’s colonial past. His expression of regret for Britain’s abuses is a welcome gesture, but it remains to be seen whether the UK government will be willing to go further and apologize directly for its actions.

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