Photos: King Charles awards medal to 117-year-old war veteran
National
By
Stephanie Wangari
| Nov 01, 2023
King Charles III and Queen Camilla toured the Kariokor Cemetery on Day two of their visit in Kenya.
Kariokor, a Commonwealth war grave, comes from the name Carrier Corps. This is where 59 African Second World War casualties are buried.
The Carrier Corps was a labour corps created in Kenya during the First World War to provide military labour to support the British campaign against German army forces in East Africa.
During his visit to the war graves, King Charles gave medals to four war veterans, including 117-year-old Corporal Samwel Nthigai Mburia.
Others who received medals were Private John Kavai, Private Kefa Chagira, and Private Ezekiel Nyanjom Anyange.
King and Queen have each laid a wreath at the memorial.
Yesterday, the king addressed the atrocities committed by the colonial government during a banquet at the State House.
He termed the atrocities against Kenyan freedom fighters as "abhorrent and unjustifiable".
The king said he aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the colonial government's wrongs.
"In coming back to Kenya, it matters greatly to me that I deepen my understanding of some of these wrongs, and that I meet some of those whose lives and communities were so grievously affected. None of this can change the past but by addressing our history with honesty and openness, we can, perhaps, demonstrate the strength of our friendship today," he said, championing greater bonds between the two nations.