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Truth Without Fear
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Colonial chiefs who helped establish British rule were cruel and no-nonsense

The death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8 has brought back memories of how the British colonial administration used chiefs and headmen to maintain control over Kenya.

Discussions with the families of former colonial chiefs who, like the colonial administrators, ruled with an iron fist, reveal a history of rulers who earned both love and hatred, balancing the interests of native Kenyans and colonial masters.

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