#HistoryKeThread:
At the dawn of Kenya’s independence, Home Affairs Minister Oginga Odinga deported Ian Henderson.
At the dawn of Kenya’s independence, Home Affairs Minister Oginga Odinga deported Ian Henderson.
This was in 1964.
Henderson, who spoke fluent Gîkûyû, was a white CID police officer in the colonial administration. He was famous for leading the team of native police officers and informers who tracked, and finally captured, Mau Mau leader Dedan Kimathi Waciuri.
In those days, Oginga’s Ministry was in charge of the police and prisons services.
This at a time when the mood in the newly independent country was different.
Africans were in charge, and leaders in government faced pressure to deport certain European civil servants “in the public interest”.
Africans were in charge, and leaders in government faced pressure to deport certain European civil servants “in the public interest”.
One such civil servant was Henderson (pictured).
As Prime Minister and Oginga’s boss, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was keen to portray a reconciliatory image. Just months earlier, he had assured white settlers in Nakuru that his government would not pursue revenge.
“We will forgive, but not forget”, he told them.
Henderson was no settler, alright. But according to Oginga in his book, Not Yet Uhuru, Africans “could not understand at all how we could tolerate Henderson’s continued presence in Kenya”.
They wanted him deported.
They wanted him deported.
When the matter was brought to his attention, Mzee was cautious, and non-committal.
“Mzee (c) was in a dilemma”, recalled Oginga.
The Prime Minister, he added, instructed him to “take the matter in hand”.
“Mzee (c) was in a dilemma”, recalled Oginga.
The Prime Minister, he added, instructed him to “take the matter in hand”.
Oginga promptly deported Henderson and “two Europeans who were making a practice of anti-African talk in hotels and other public places....”
Following the deportation, Oginga was left on his own to fend off accusations by British expatriates that in deporting Henderson, he acted independently.
It may not have been clear what Mzee directed him to do. But it was clear that Oginga was angered by the accusations.
In November of 1964, British newspapers accused Oginga of smuggling into the country (Kenya) arms from communist countries.
The Vice President-in-waiting was not going to have it easy with the British.
Have an easy month ahead, everyone.
