In 1942, members of the Kikuyu, Meru, Kamba and Embu tribes took an oath of unity and secrecy to fight for independence from the British decree. The Mau Mau movement began with this oath and Kenya embarked on its continuing journey towards national sovereignty. The Mau Mau movement was a militant African nationalist unit that resisted British authority and its colonial rule. The Mau Mau membership consisted primarily of Kenya's largest tribe, the Kikuyu. The Kikuyu carried out intense assaults against their colonial rulers. Between 1952 and 1956, the British defeated the Mau Mau through a violent military operation. Nevertheless, the Mau Mau Rebellion also convinced the British that social, agrarian, and political improvements were essential for Kenya's future. Dating back to the year 2000 BC, Cushitic speakers from the northern region of Africa settled in East Africa, known as the land of Kenya. In the 1st century AD, the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa was primarily settled by Arab and Persian traders who established Arab and Persian colonies. During the first millennium AD, Nilotic and Bantu speakers migrated into the region and settled inland. Originating from a combination of Arabic and Bantu, the Swahili language was developed as a communication tool for trade between different people. When the Portuguese landed in 1498, the port of Mombasa became a major refueling stop for ships. During the 1600s, the Portuguese began to dominate the Islamic religion under the Sultan of Oman until another European barricade arrived. Followed by the United Kingdom in the 19th century. The roots of Kenya's colonial history date back to the Berlin Conference in 1885, where...... middle of paper ......rt and where the Mau Mau is located. The Mau Mau began killing their own men, because they knew the British's plan. Therefore, instead of the Mau Mau killing the British, it was the Mau Mau killing the Africans, so basically it was the Africans killing the Africans. The British, observing the cruelty of Africa, decided simply to give up Kenya's independence.Bibliography · Curtis, Mark. "The Mau Mau War in Kenya, 1952-60 | Mark Curtis." Mark Curtis. Np, nd Web. April 28, 2014. · Elkins, Caroline. “The struggle for the rehabilitation of the Mau Mau in late colonial Kenya.” Jstor. Boston University African Studies Center, 2000. Web.06 May. 2014. · “The story in an hour.” The story in one hour. Np, nd Web.06 May. 2014. · Newspaper Singer, John. “Revolt and repression in Kenya: the “Mau Mau” rebellion. Jstor. Np, nd Web.01 May. 2014.