Etymology
The origin of the term Mau
Mau is uncertain. According to
some members of Mau Mau,
they never referred to
themselves as such, instead
preferring the military title
Kenya Land and Freedom
Army (KLFA). [12] Some
publications, such as Fred
Majdalany's State of
Emergency: The Full Story of
Mau Mau, claim that it was an
anagram of Uma Uma (which
means "get out get out") and
was a military codeword
based on a secret language-
game Kikuyu boys used to
play at the time of their
circumcision. Majdalany goes
on to state that the British
simply used the name as a
label for the Kikuyu ethnic
community without assigning
any specific definition. [13]
As the movement progressed,
a Swahili backronym was
adopted: "Mzungu Aende
Ulaya, Mwafrika Apate Uhuru"
meaning "Let the foreigner go
back abroad, let the African
regain independence".[14]
J.M. Kariuki, a member of
Mau Mau who was detained
during the conflict, postulates
that the British preferred to
use the term Mau Mau
instead of KLFA in an attempt
to deny the Mau Mau
rebellion international
legitimacy. [15] Kariuki also
wrote that the term Mau Mau
was adopted by the rebellion
in order to counter what they
regarded as colonial
propaganda. [14]
TULIA.........UFUNZWE!