Mau Mau and Kenya: An Analysis of a Peasant Revolt

by Wunyabari O. Maloba

". . . an up-to-date, comprehensive, and accessible single-volume text to introduce the Mau Mau movement and its part in Kenya's nationalism and independence . . ." ―International Journal of African Historical Studies

" Mau Mau and Kenya is a well written work which provides a clear and candid picture of the highly complex movements that were Mau Mau." ―African History

Mau Mau and Kenya traces a unique peasant revolt against British colonialism. Was Mau Mau a national effort or an ethnic outburst? What were its political aims? Maloba describes the participants and their differing ideologies; relationships between the revolt and the conventional party politics of the Kenya African Union; and the impact of Mau Mau on decolonization in Kenya.

Genres: History, Africa, Kenya, Nonfiction, Eastern Africa, Politics

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1993

Reviews

[Austin Madsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides a well rounded analysis of the ambitions, tactics, and reactions to the Mau Mau rebellion. While it doesn’t go into great detail about many key actors or events, it provides a good framework and many useful takeaways from the successes and shortcomings of the Mau Mau.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides an insight into the actions on the ground during the Mau Mau rebellion

[Dan Sharber · Rating 3 out of 5]

it appears that there has been a lot written on mau mau and it's importance to kenya's independence. also many on the left and right have projected ideological underpinnings to the movement. this books seems to try to get at the real motivations and organization of the movement and look at the rebellion through the framework of a peasant uprising. in that regard, it seems fine. but it lacks any clear narrative of what went on. things like raids and battles are mentioned by name and their relevance and usefulness either politically (via propaganda) or militarily but other than that it is light on the story. it's fine because it seems clear that this book is meant to be a critique of a lot of what has been written about mau mau already and in that light, it requires a level of prior knowledge. however since i knew literally nothing more than the name and it was an uprising in kenya, this book was not very useful. if you have read about mau mau and want something that will do a better job analyzing it all (including the 'foul oaths) and putting it into context, this book would be useful. if you want to know what happened from a narrative sense, find something else to read.

[Marcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is quite an eye opener with respect to placing Kenya's revolution and independence in its historical context. I learned quite a bit about the Mau Mau, particularly strategic and tactical errors they made as well as the way they influenced the coming players in post-colonial Kenya. Maloba also does an excellent job detailing the various roles different communities of Kenya people in relation to the land--landless, squatters, tribes--and how each group was affected by the Mau Mau, union organizing, missionaries, political organizing, and the colonial regime. An excellent read for anyone interested not only in Kenya's struggle for independence, but in the ways any nation emerges as independent through political organizing and armed resistance.

[Emma-Louise Ekpo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provides an excellent framework to understanding the Mau Mau revolt and the response from the British colonialists. The detail of this book is not found in people and events per se but in the overall look at the Emergency.

I found the pipeline and villiagization rules particularly chilling.

[Leia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after my first trip to Kenya. I absorbed everything my library had regarding Kenya.