Mau Mau Uprising 1952, the poisonous latex of the African milk bush was used by members of Mau Mau to kill cattle in an incident of biological warfare. Although Mau Mau was effectively crushed by the end of 1956, it was not until the First Lancaster House Conference, in January 1960, that native Kenyan majority rule was established and the period of colonial transition to independence initiated. Before the conference, it was anticipated by both native Kenyan and European leaders that Kenya was set for a European-dominated multi-racial government. There is continuing debate about Mau Mau's and the rebellion's effects on decolonisation and
Mau Mau Uprising decision, Mr Justice McCombe said the claimants had an "arguable case", and added: A "Times" editorial noted with satisfaction that "Mr Justice McCombe told the FCO, in effect, to get lost. Though the arguments against reopening very old wounds are seductive, they fail morally. There are living claimants and it most certainly was not their fault that the documentary evidence that seems to support their claims was for so long 'lost' in the governmental filing system." During the course of the Mau Mau legal battle in London, a large amount of what was stated to be formerly lost Foreign Office