The United Kingdom once released files that revealed how its government spied on Kenya's first President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
Included in the files which were secret were details of how the late Mzee Kenyatta came to the attention of British Security Service attention in 1929 when he arrived in London.
He was kept under surveillance by the Metropolitan Police Special Branch because of his suspected links to the International Committee of Negro Workers.
Another file showed how the Brits followed Kenyatta's activities in this period through Special Branch reports, and from 1934, through interception of his mails.
[caption caption="The Kapenguria Six"]
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The warrant for intercepting his correspondence states that Kenyatta was believed to be succeeding George Padmore as the principal Soviet propaganda agent for the British colonies.
Kenyatta had met Padmore, a left-wing Communist from Trinidad, in Berlin, Germany, and it is alleged they remained in Germany until February 21, 1933, when police deported Padmore.
Intelligence records show that shortly before his deportation, Padmore had taken Kenyatta to Moscow, Russia, where Kenyatta allegedly joined the Communist Party.
This activity postdates Kenyatta's visit to Lenin School in Moscow between 1932 and 1933, however, the details of Kenyatta's mission to Russia remain unknown.
In 1946, British Intelligence Services took interest in Kenyatta's marriage to Edna Grace Clarke, and investigations were made to establish if it was legal.
Eventually, a marriage certificate was located at St Catherine's House, and the matter was dropped.
Kenyatta returned to Kenya on September 5, 1946, but the surveillance continued, and particular interest was taken in his involvement in the Mau Mau movement.
[caption caption="A Home Guard and a police officer escort four captured Mau Mau members "]
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