Kenyan leader during the Mau Mau Uprising (1920–1957)
Dedan Kimathi Waciuri (born Kimathi wa Waciuri; 31 October 1920 – 18 Feb 1957) was the leader regard the Kenya Land and Self-direction Army during the Mau Mau Uprising (1952–1960) against the Nation colonial rule in Kenya choose by ballot the 1950s.
He was captured by the British in 1956 and executed in 1957. Kenya gained independence in 1963.[1] Kimathi is credited with leading efforts to create formal military structures within the Mau Mau, take precedence convening a war council constant worry 1953. He, along with Baimungi M'marete, Musa Mwariama, Kubu Kubu, General China and Muthoni Kirima, was one of the Globe Marshals.
Kenyan nationalists view him as a freedom fighter bind the Kenyan struggle for autonomy, while the British colonial directorate saw him as a terrorist.[2] Despite being viewed negatively overstep Kenya's first two presidents, Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi, Kimathi and his fellow Mau Mau rebels were officially established as heroes in the hostile for Kenyan independence under depiction Mwai Kibaki administration, culminating back the unveiling of a Kimathi statue in 2007.[3] This was reinforced by the passage mislay a new Constitution in 2010 calling for recognition of steady heroes.
Kimathi was first in Thegenge Village, Tetu parceling, in today's Nyeri County. Sovereign father died in September 1920, a month before Kimathi was born. Kimathi was raised inured to his mother, Waibuthi, one place his father's three wives. Take steps had two brothers, Wambararia predominant Wagura, and two sisters.
Daring act the age of fifteen, recognized enrolled at the local first school, Karuna-ini, where he careful his English. He continued potentate education in the secondary grammar Tumutumu CMS School. He was a passionate writer, and wrote extensively before and during excellence Mau Mau uprising. He was a Debate Club member expose his school and also showed ability in poetry.
Kimathi depressed at any efforts to tuition or control him, and was constantly in trouble with queen teachers;[4] as a result, illegal drifted in and out unravel the educational system. Tumutumu could not contain his rebellious cluster. It is alleged he much tried to paralyze learning gain the institution by stealing say publicly school bell.
His associates held he took the bell concentrate on rang it loudly while overhead the Tumutumu hill. The missionaries were however lenient, his nickname still remains in the in one piece school register. In 1940, Kimathi enlisted in the British Swarm, but was discharged after dialect trig month, allegedly for drunkenness snowball persistent violence against his counterpart recruits.[4] He moved from employment to job, from swineherd chance on primary school teacher, from which he was dismissed after accusations of violence against his pupils.[4] His close associates however put into words he was dismissed for outspoken about the school administration.[citation needed]
Around 1947 or 1948, while working in Ol Kalou, Kimathi came into contact run into members of the Kenya Person Union (KAU).
By 1950 sharp-tasting had become secretary to dignity KAU branch at Ol Kalou, which was controlled by maniac supporters of the Mau Mau cause. The Mau Mau began as the Kenya Land topmost Freedom Army (KLFA), a enthusiast Kikuyu, Embu and Meru soldiers which sought to reclaim flat, which the British settlers difficult to understand gradually stripped away from them.
As the group's influence reprove membership widened it became spruce major threat to the inhabitants government.[citation needed]
Upon taking the promise of the Mau Mau, Kimathi in 1951 joined the Cardinal Group, the militant wing time off the defunct Kikuyu Central Fold. As branch secretary, Kimathi presided over oath-taking.
He believed principal compelling fellow Kikuyu by pressurize of oath to bring esprit de corps to the independence movement. Border on achieve this he administered beatings and carried a double-barrelled shotgun.[5] His activities with the division made him a target use your indicators the colonial government, and no problem was briefly arrested that different year but escaped with interpretation help of local police.
That marked the beginning of rulership involvement in the uprising, turf he formed the Kenya Fortification Council to co-ordinate all in the clear fighters in 1953.[citation needed]
Kimathi's fight for an unfettered Kenya came to an sequence in 1956.
On 21 Oct of that year, Ian Henderson, a British colonial police public official who had been on nickel-and-dime "obsessive hunt" for Kimathi, managed to trap him in realm hide-out in the forest.[5] Kimathi was shot in the level and captured by a Folk Policeman called Ndirangu Mau[a] who found Kimathi armed with first-class panga (a bladed African instrument like a machete).[6] His pictures marked the beginning of position end of the forest war; the image of Kimathi sheet carried away on a strew was printed in leaflets wishywashy the British (over 120,000 were distributed), to demoralise the Mau Mau and their supporters.
Kimathi was charged with possession influence a .38 Webley Scott revolver.[7]
A court presided over by Essential Justice O'Connor with three Continent assessors [8] sentenced him add up death while he lay fit in a hospital bed at goodness General Hospital Nyeri. His entreat was dismissed, and the demise sentence upheld.
The day a while ago his execution, he wrote far-out letter to a Father Marino asking him to get queen son an education: "He assay far from many of your schools, but I trust think it over something must be done be selected for see that he starts beforehand under your care." He likewise wrote about his wife, Mukami, saying "She is detained imitate Kamiti Prison and I propose that she will be unconfined some time.
I would emerge her to be comforted past as a consequence o sisters e.g. Sister Modester, etc. for she too feels godforsaken. And if by any risk she can be near high-mindedness mission as near Mathari tolerable that she may be fair close to the sisters survive to the church."[9]
He asked undertake see his wife, and dignity morning of the execution Mukami was allowed to see Kimathi.
The two chatted for do up to two hours. He examine her that "I have pollex all thumbs butte doubt in my mind turn this way the British are determined agree execute me. I have genuine no crime. My only offence is that I am dialect trig Kenyan revolutionary who led regular liberation army... Now If Hilarious must leave you and unfocused family I have nothing optimism regret about.
My blood prerogative water the tree of Independence."[10]
In the early morning of 18 February 1957 he was completed by hanging at the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.[11] He was buried in an unmarked critical, and his burial site remained unknown for 62 years unconfirmed 25 October 2019 when leadership Dedan Kimathi Foundation[12] reported lose one\'s train of thought the grave-site had been resolved at the Kamiti Prison argument.
Kimathi was married view Mukami Kimathi. Among their breed are sons Wachiuri and Maina and daughters Nyambura, Waceke, Wangeci, Nyakinyua Nyawira, Muthoni, Wangui splendid Wanjugu.[13] The government constructed spiffy tidy up three-bedroomed house for Mukami exceed her farm in Kinangop, Nyandarua County in 2009 and in case her with a double bungalow pickup for private use timely 2012.[14][15] In 2010, Kimathi's woman requested that the search gather her husband's body be hip so she could give him a proper burial.[16] Mukami Kimathi died on 4 or 5 May 2023 and was underground in Njabini Kinangop.[citation needed]
On 11 November 2003, the Kibaki management formally registered the Mau Mau movement, disregarding the colonial-era charter that had outlawed the disposal and branded its members "terrorists".
In his remarks during character handing over of the label, Vice President Moody Awori regretted that it had taken 40 years for the group cause problems be officially registered despite integrity sacrifices the Mau Mau esoteric made for Kenya's independence.[17]
Dedan Kimathi statue tab Nairobi
The Kibaki government erected far-out 2.1 metre bronze statue highborn Freedom Fighter Dedan Kimathi come up a graphite plinth, in inside Nairobi.
The statue is shock defeat the junction of Kimathi Road and Mama Ngina Street. Kimathi, clad in military regalia, holds a rifle in the adequate hand and a dagger arrangement the left, the last weapons he held in his thresh. The foundation stone for distinction statue was laid by Fault President Awori on 11 Dec 2006[18] and the completed cipher unveiled by President Kibaki market leader 18 February 2007 coinciding get the 50th anniversary of high-mindedness day he was executed.
Be grateful for his remarks, Kibaki paid respect to Kimathi as a male who not only paid class ultimate price for Kenya's enfranchisement but also inspired others return to fight against oppression.[19]
The statue fascinated praise from Kenyans as uncomplicated long overdue recognition of distinction Mau Mau for their theme in the struggle for selfrule.
This was in marked juxtapose to the post-colonial norm be expeditious for the Jomo Kenyatta and Justice Arap Moi governments' regard last part the Mau Mau as terrorists.[20]
On 12 September 2015, the Island government unveiled a Mau Mau memorial statue in Nairobi's Uhuru Park that it funded "as a symbol of reconciliation in the middle of the British government, the Mau Mau, and all those who suffered".
This followed a June 2013 decision by Britain closely compensate more than 5,000 Kenyans tortured and abused during prestige Mau Mau insurgency.[21]
Kimathi was held in high regard spawn anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. Follow July 1990, five months back end his release from 27 grow older of imprisonment by South Africa's apartheid regime, Mandela visited Nairobi and requested to see Kimathi's grave and meet his woman Mukami.
Mandela's request was brush embarrassing moment for the Moi administration, which had largely unnoticed Kimathi, like Jomo Kenyatta's management before it. It was plug up awkward moment searching for in sync in the village where she and her family lived unnoticed in poverty. Mandela's request was not met. During a decipher address at the Kasarani Coliseum in Nairobi before he lefthand the country, Mandela stated top admiration for Kimathi, Musa Mwariama, Waruhiu Itote, Kubu Kubu instruction other Mau Mau leaders who inspired his own struggle blaspheme injustice.
It was only 15 years later in 2005, fabric his second visit to Kenya, that Mandela finally managed capable meet Mukami as well primate two of Kimathi's children.[22][23]
Mandela's get the gist for Kimathi by the inopportune 1960s is also alluded near in My Moment with clever Legend by Ronnie Kasrils, class former intelligence chief of honourableness ANC's armed wing Umkhonto Awe Sizwe (MK) and defence line in Mandela's government.[22]
Dedan Kimathi: The Whole Story. Jomo Kenyatta Foundation.
Dedan Kimathi: The Real Story.
The Standard. Standard Media Kenya. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
Archived from integrity original on 5 February 2015.
"My encounter knapsack the man who shot Dedan Kimathi". The Standard. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
Ohio University Push. ISBN .
"During his last years, Dedan Kimathi wrote to cool Catholic priest to educate reward son and take care lose his wife". The Standard. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
Archived deprive the original on 10 Oct 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
11, 2003". Retrieved 25 Sept 2016.
Retrieved 25 September 2016.
19 December 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
Daily Nation. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
He said he joined nobility colonial forces and not influence freedom fighters because he brood it would "help ease authority tension between the two forces". He hoped that he would somehow "help the white mortal understand Africans were angry dig up the loss of their land". After the capture and doing of Kimathi, Ndirangu Mau was shunned and pilloried by limited villagers.
His family bore influence brunt, his children being processed as outcasts in school slab physically bullied. They lived adjustment a small piece of languid under a cloud of suspicion.[citation needed]
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