Quote:Yes. It was really bad what these people did. Anyone who has not read these two book should read them
1) Britain's Gulag: The Brutal End of Empire in Kenya
2) Histories of the Hanged: Britain's Dirty War in Kenya and the End of Empire
You will really be mad to know what happened to our Grandfathers and Grandmothers and the role the home guards played
I read Britain's Gulag first. That's the book that fingers Kiereini & Isaiah Mathenge.
I then bought Kiereini's memoirs. Because of curiosity raised by Elkins. He admits he was a rehab officer in Mwea but denies that he was involved in extracting confessions(by torture). He says the role of rehabilitation officers was more of counselling & faults Elkins for not seeking his side of the story.
He goes on to say how he was posted to Meru as a DO after the emergency and says he enjoy good relations with locals there many whom were detainees in Mwea.
Well, that left me confused. Maybe he was just writing to clean his image. Or maybe not. What I liked about his account of the emergency era is that he is the first Gikuyu to admit he was against the Mau Mau and give reasons for his opposition.
All other Kikuyu memoirs either are quiet concerning their allegiance(e.g Matiba, Maathai), or claim to have taken the oath or were part of 'sleeper cells'/supply wing(Karume, Gatu)