King Charles’ on UK’s ‘abhorrent acts of violence’ against Kenyans

Amidst a grand ceremony, the King and Queen have arrived at the State House in Kenya to attend a banquet held in their honor. The royal couple was warmly received by President William Ruto and his wife, First Lady Rachel Ruto, as they exchanged greetings and handshakes.

During the state banquet, King Charles delivered a speech that addressed the historical treatment of the Kenyan people during the colonial era. While stopping short of a full apology, the King expressed sorrow and regret for the injustices that occurred.

He said: “It is the intimacy of our shared history that has brought our people together. However, we must also acknowledge the most painful times of our long and complex relationship.

The King went on to acknowledge that there were “abhorrent” acts of violence committed against Kenyans during their struggle for independence and sovereignty.

“The wrongdoings of the past are a cause of the greatest sorrow and the deepest regret. There were abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence committed against Kenyans as they waged, as you said at the United Nations, a painful struggle for independence and sovereignty – and for that, there can be no excuse,” he said.

Making it clear that there can be no excuse for the wrongdoings of the past, King Charles expressed his personal commitment to deepening his understanding of these wrongs and meeting with individuals whose lives and communities were profoundly affected.

“In coming back to Kenya, it matters greatly to me that I should deepen my own understanding of these wrongs, and that I meet some of those whose lives and communities were so grievously affected.”