ABSTRACT
Despite considerable post-war planning, the British counter-insurgency campaign in Kenya did not constitute a Colonial Office strategy for decolonisation. Coin in Kenya had one purpose: to re-impose law and order, or British control. If for no other reason, this is demonstrated by the initial reluctance of the Colonial Office to intervene. Frequent re-assessments and postponement of the ending of the State of Emergency, and the subordination of socio-economic and political reforms to military objectives, show clearly that decolonisation was not high on the British list of priorities in Kenya. This article questions the relationship between Coin and decolonisation, and the validity of models of British counter-insurgency.
