Briton named in Mau Mau torture case dies

A former British colonial official named in the High Court case being pursued by the four Mau Mau detainees in London has died.

Mr Terence Gavaghan, a former officer in charge of the Mwea detention camp always strongly denied that he and his officers used punitive force in the rehabilitation programme at the camps.

He was one of the colonial officials named by Mr Wambugu wa Nyingi in the case being conducted in the UK in the claims for compensation, but had been unable to defend himself lately due to illness.

However, in several interviews with this correspondent in London, Mr Gavaghan defended himself vigorously against claims of torture although he did acknowledge that “compelling” force was used to break the back of Mau Mau resistance.

In an obituary in the Times it was acknowledged that Mr Gavaghan had restored control and order to the rehabilitation camps and that there were no deaths and few serious injuries under his control unlike at Hola, where 11 detainees were beaten to death.

The colonial administration was so impressed with his work that he later became permanent secretary at Government House where he led the process of Africanising the top 10,000 civil service posts.

Mr Gavaghan would have made an insightful witness at the High Court case were he to attend, as he was one of the few people with accurate records of the time.

That case will still, however, proceed following last month’s ruling that there was clearly an arguable case against the British Government and that the claims were fit for trial.