How colonists used press freedom to cover themselves

John Perry, a photo journalist with The Standard in 1960 takes pictures with the flush held high. [File, Standard]

Power is transient and yesterday's aggressor, aided by the government's monopoly of violence, can suddenly be reduced to begging for mercy when fortunes change.

After 70 years of calling the shots, British settlers dreaded the granting of independence to Kenya and when they realised this was unstoppable, they panicked and started pleading for leniency.