Wanjiru Tabitha (1 results)

Translated by photograph and thumb prints. Green cloth with sections: movement permit; residence permit; special endorsements; to authorized issuing officers. 32mo (4x 5inches). pp. 28. Very Good. A rare passbook for women issued by the British colonial administration in Kenya during the Mau Mau Uprising (1952Ð1960). Most passbooks, known as kipande, were issued to control the movement of African men, making this a notable exception.ÊSocial control: Passbooks were a central part of the colonial administration's system of control and oppression. The passes limited the freedom of movement and regulated the labor supply of Africans, especially in areas with white settlers and in urban centers like Nairobi.Targeting of specific communities: The British government implemented stricter passbook regulations for the Kikuyu, Embu, and Meru communities. This was in large part because these ethnic groups lived near the "White Highlands" and colonial centers and were active in the Mau Mau rebellion.Gender discrimination: For decades, the passbook system primarily targeted men and deliberately excluded women. This denied women legal rights and economic opportunities and was used to reinforce patriarchal control. It wasn't until 1978 that a law was amended to include women, after years of advocacy by women's rights groups.ÊThe female passbook was specifically linked to the Mau Mau Emergency, which lasted from 1952 to 1960.Ê Response to female activism: Women played a crucial role in the Mau Mau movement by providing logistics, communications, medical aid, and intelligence to the freedom fighters. The issuance of female passbooks was a response by the colonial government to track and suppress women suspected of being Mau Mau supporters.Literary account: Author Muthoni Likimani, who was issued one of these passbooks with the number F.47927, published the book Passbook Number F.47927: Women and Mau Mau in Kenya. Her work documented the critical but often-overlooked role women played in the struggle for independence.ÊPAS118377.