Wituland (also Witu, Vitu, Witu Protectorate or Swahililand) was an approximately 3000 km² territory in East Africa centered on the town of Witu just inland from Indian Ocean port of Lamu north of the mouth of the Tana River in what is now Kenya.
History
Founded in 1858 by the former ruler of the insular Pate sultanate after several abortive moves to the mainland, the native sultanate of Wituland was a haven for slaves fleeing the Zanzibarslave trade and thus a target of attacks from the Sultanate of Zanzibar (ruled by a branch of the Omani dynasty, under British protectorate).
In accord with the 1890Heligoland–Zanzibar Treaty, on 18 June1890 a British protectorate was declared, and on 1 July1890 imperial Germany renounced its protectorate, ceding the Wituland to Great Britain to be added to British East Africa despite protests from the inhabitants of the territory, who wished to remain under Germany's protection. Shortly afterwards several German merchants were murdered, and a British punitive expedition was sent out. Roger Keyes, then only 18 years old, was part of the force.
In 1889, Wituland issued a number of postage stamps although their postal usage has not been verified.
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