Mau Mau Uprising 'Our Grandfathers' (—Twenda kwikala ta maau mau maitu, tuithye ngombe to Maau mau maitu, nundu nthi ino ni ya maau mau maitu). Some have argued that it is an acronym for "Mzungu Aende Ulaya Mwafrica Apate Uhuru". Others have claimed that it was coined from the term "UMA UMA", a communication code used by the guerrillas. Dominated by the Kikuyu people, Meru people and Embu people, the "Mau Mau" also comprised units of Kamba and Maasai peoples who fought against the white European colonist-settlers in Kenya, the British Army, and the local Kenya Regiment (British colonists, local auxiliary militia, and
Operation Anvil (Mau Mau Uprising) In the weeks preceding the operation rumors circulated among the African population that Nairobi was due to be subjected to a security sweep. Some insurgents moved to the outskirts of the city and were thus outside the cordoned area. On 04:30 on 24 April British forces initiated Operation Anvil, sealing off every road and track leading in or out of Nairobi. Government forces then surrounded locations which were home to substantial Kikuyu populations in the city such as Makongeni, Bahati, Kariokor, Ziwani, and Pumwani, thus preventing any Mau Mau from escaping. Informers disguised with hoods identified suspected rebels to the