Which issues did the Young Kikuyu Association protest against?

The Young Kikuyu Association, established in 1921 under the leadership of Harry Thuku, was the first political pressure group in Kenya to organize along ethnic lines to challenge colonial policies.12

The association protested against several key issues affecting the Kikuyu people and other Africans under British rule, including:

• Lack of Political Representation: The group demanded that Africans be granted direct representation in the colonial legislature.1
• Economic Hardships: They complained about low wages and the colonial prohibition against Africans growing coffee.1
• Cultural Interference: The association opposed the condemnation by Christian missionaries of traditional practices, such as female genital cutting.1
• Land Dispossession: A primary concern for the organization was the recovery of lands lost to white settlers following the establishment of the British crown colony in 1920.2

Although the association faced significant government pressure and eventually disbanded, it served as a foundational movement for African participation in the political process.12