The Catholic Church has accused the Mau Mau organization of killing 75 Catholic faithful in Mt. Kenya during the struggle for Kenya's liberation from colonial power.
The church claims that Mau Mau warriors targeted Catholics, mainly from parishes started by Consolata Missionaries, because of their faith. According to the church, Mau Mau fighters went from church to church, murdering faithful for refusing to subscribe to their beliefs.
Denial by Mau Mau Veterans ¶
The Mau Mau Veteran Association has denied these allegations, stating that those who were murdered were traitors and collaborators, not victims of religious persecution. Led by their Secretary General, Gitu Kahengeri, the veterans said they never forced Catholics to take oaths and that those who refused to take oaths were not killed.
"Mau Mau never forced anyone, whether Christians or not, to take an oath. Furthermore, those who refused to take oaths were not killed, most of us are Christians even to date and Catholics for that matter," said Kahengeri.
Kahengeri also stated that "those who were killed were traitors who betrayed the struggle for liberation and the nation, but not killed because of their faith." He suggested that the Catholic Church declare the 75 who were killed by Mau Mau as martyrs if it is convinced that they were killed because of their faith.
