Nairobi News

South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighter party leader Julius Malema is in Kenya.

He landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on November 8, 2023, where he gave an interview about his visit.

As he spoke to the media, he blasted the recent Kenyan visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla who spent four days in the country touring and meeting with various groups.

“The British law – what they did to the Kenyan people – they’ve got no business putting their feet here, except that they should pay reparations to the Kenyans. That’s the only way and only genuine apology they will accept from the British. So we don’t think his visit is of any significance in the development of Kenya and the African continent unless they are able to commit their Pounds – trillions of Pounds- to try and heal the deep wounds they left in Kenya,” said Mr Malema.

Mr Malema, a renowned firebrand politician, also said he was in Kenya to also correct any mess King Charles had left, especially if there had been a message of colonialism and imperialism. Julius Malema is in the country for the inauguration of the Pan African Institute at Lukenya University located in Makueni County.

During King Charles’s visit, a banquet was held in his honor at State House Nairobi. During his address to the gathering, he spoke on colonial atrocities committed in Kenya but he stopped short of apologizing as the Mau Mau Veterans Association had been demanding for weeks before the visit.

During his speech, he recognized that ‘wrongdoings’ and atrocities had been committed, saying he had the greatest sorrow and regret for what happened, adding that there was no excuse to explain. However, he did not issue a formal apology. President William Ruto, afterward, lauded the King for addressing uncomfortable truths, adding that there was still much to be done to achieve full reparations to Kenya.

Back in his country, however, a controversial British commentator with Sky felt that the King did not owe Kenya any apology because the colonialists brought English and democracy to the East African nation. This did not sit well with Kenyans who said the commentator was tone deaf and vile for his stance that whitewashed all the atrocities Kenyans endured in the hands of Britons.

Malema is expected to attend the launch of the Pan African Institue at the Lukenya University in Makueni.

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