AMNESTY IN KENYA

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27563, 21 January 1955, Page 11

AMNESTY IN KENYA

Settlers Protest At Offer

(Rec. 10 p.m.)NAIROBI, January 20. European farmers and settlers from Kenyas “white Highlands” last night told. the colony’s Government that they would oppose with every meant in their power the new surrender amnesty terms offered to the Mau Mau terrorists.

One of the first protests was the resignation offer by Captain Venn Fey, commander of the British 49th Brigade’s tracker combat group attached to the Kenya Regiment, but Captain Fey, who lives in the "white Highlands” said later that the Government had refused to accept his resignation so he had changed his mind and would continue until he was “thrown out.”

Mr Michael Blundell, a Minister without Portfolio, attended the protest meeting in a typical colonial farmhouse at the foot of Mount Kinanrop. He had to face the wrath of farmers and their wives at the hurriedlysummoned gathering, which produced more passion than at any other meeting since the early days of the Mau Mau emergency. By an overwhelming majority the meeting condemned as “shameful and foolish” the surrender terms to be offered to the rebels which would exempt murderers from prosecution. The meeting recorded “lack of confidence'in the War Council of Kenya and the conviction that its members must be changed.” The settlers also demanded that the surrender offer exempting murderers from prosecution be ended immediately.