HC Deb 23 February 1955 vol 537 cc151-3W
39. Captain Kerby

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will release for general publication in the United Kingdom the terms of the Githaka and Batuni oaths which motivate the atrocities of Mau Mau and which are administered to subjugate the Kikuyu tribe and achieve the ultimate massacre of the European population in Kenya; and if he will, at the same time, release those sections of the general or third-grade oath which refer to the person of Jomo Kenyatta.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I see no objection to publishing the texts of these oaths, so far as they are known, and they are given below. I could not agree to publication of the attendant rituals.

Mr. H. Macmillan

This change was made in order to conform with the other figures connected with the active Forces quoted in the Statement on Defence all of which are related to the financial year.

As the reply to the second part of the Question consists of a table I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Details are as follows:

Following are the oaths:

The terms of the general or third grade oath were:

  1. (a) If I ever reveal the secrets of this organisation, may this oath kill me.
  2. (b) If I ever sell or dispose of any Kikuyu land to a foreigner, may this oath kill me.
  3. (c) If I ever fail to follow our great leader, Kenyatta, may this oath kill me.
  4. (d) If I ever inform against any member of this organisation or against any member who steals from the European, may this oath kill me.
  5. (e) If I ever fail to pay the fees of this organisation, may this oath kill me.

As the Mau Mau campaign gained strength and the advocates of violence came to the fore, the terms of the original oath were amended to include the following new clauses, inter alia:—

  1. (a) If I am sent to bring in the head of any enemy and I fail to do so, may this oath kill me.
  2. (b) If I fail to steal anything I can from the European, may this oath kill me.
  3. (c) If I know of any enemy to our organisation and I fail to report him to my leader, may this oath kill me.
  4. (d) If I ever receive any money from a European as a bribe for information, may this oath kill me.
  5. (e) If I am ever sent by a leader to do something big for the house of Kikuyu, and I refuse, may this oath kill me.
  6. (f) If I refuse to help in driving the Europeans from this country, may this oath kill me.
  7. (g) If I worship any leader but lomo, may this oath kill me.

The terms of the second grade oath were:

  1. (a) If I fail to lead the children of Mumbi in a proper manner, may I die.
  2. (b) If I fail to support the Independent School movement, may I die.
  3. (c) If I betray the leaders of the Kenya African Union, may I die.
  4. (d) If I fail to support this organisation until the day of independence, may I die.
  5. (e) I must sacrifice my blood and the blood of the Kikuyu for freedom.

Some of the common features of the "Batuni" or Platoon oaths are:

  1. (a) to burn European crops and kill European-owned cattle.
  2. (b) To steal firearms.
  3. (c) If ordered to kill, to kill no matter who is the victim, even one's father or brother.
  4. (d) When killing to cut off heads, extract the eyeballs and drink the liquid from them.
  5. (e) Particularly to kill Europeans.

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