GOOBJOOG NEWS | NAIROBI: While the four-day state visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla to its former colony Kenya is seen as a symbolic gesture aimed at further deepening ties between the two countries, scars of colonialism came into focus.

 The visit is his first ever trip to an African and commonwealth nation since he took over the throne in September last year after the death of his mother queen Elizabeth II.

Kenya’s president William Ruto welcomed the royal couple at State house in Nairobi where they were greeted by a 21-gun salute and guard of honor before they laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Uhuru Gardens, where Kenyan declared independence in December 1963.

Local leaders and activists have however been calling demanding that Britain do more to recognize the abuses of its colonial past. Last year, during the Commonwealth summit, Charles acknowledged slavery’s role in the organization’s roots.

Endorse reparations

Many citizens of former British colonies including those from the Caribbean Commonwealth nations want Charles to go further by directly apologizing and endorsing reparations for colonial-era abuses, including torture, killings and widespread expropriation of land, much of which remains in British hands.

Buckingham Palace said the visit would “acknowledge the more painful aspects of the UK and Kenya’s shared history, including the Emergency (1952-1960).

“His Majesty will take time to deepen his understanding of the wrongs suffered in this period by the people of Kenya”, a statement from the British embassy in Nairobi reads.

Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) estimates that at least 90000 Kenyan people were killed and tens of thousands more rounded up and detained without trial where reports of torture, executions and beatings were reported.