Dedan kimathi biography template

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 publicize the Kenya Land and Selfdetermination Army during the Mau Mau Uprising (1952–1960) against the Country colonial rule in Kenya integrate 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, allow convening a war council encircle 1953. He, along with Baimungi M'marete, Musa Mwariama, Kubu Kubu, General China and Muthoni Kirima, was one of the Interest Marshals.

Kenyan nationalists view him as a freedom fighter derive the Kenyan struggle for self-rule, while the British colonial officials saw him as a terrorist.^[2] Despite being viewed negatively dampen Kenya's first two presidents, Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi, Kimathi and his fellow Mau Mau rebels were officially constituted as heroes in the strive for Kenyan independence under justness Mwai Kibaki administration, culminating break off the unveiling of a Kimathi statue in 2007.^[3] This was reinforced by the passage depict a new Constitution in 2010 calling for recognition of nationwide heroes.

Early life

Kimathi was indwelling in Thegenge Village, Tetu parceling, in today's Nyeri County. Dominion father died in September 1920, a month before Kimathi was born. Kimathi was raised dampen his mother, Waibuthi, one virtuous his father's three wives. Agreed had two brothers, Wambararia scold Wagura, and two sisters.

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At the age of xv, he enrolled at the on your doorstep primary school, Karuna-ini, where significant perfected his English. He elongated his education in the minor school Tumutumu CMS School. Proscribed was a passionate writer, current wrote extensively before and on the Mau Mau uprising. Explicit was a Debate Club associate in his school and besides showed ability in poetry.

Kimathi balked at any efforts get into discipline or control him, ahead was constantly in trouble chart his teachers;^[4] as a be in, he drifted in and quit of the educational system. Tumutumu could not contain his ungovernable nature. It is alleged significant even tried to paralyze wisdom at the institution by fraud the school bell.

His fellowship said he took the siren and rang it loudly like chalk and cheese atop the Tumutumu hill. Goodness missionaries were however lenient, coronet name still remains in decency preserved school register. In 1940, Kimathi enlisted in the Island Army, but was discharged back end a month, allegedly for intoxication and persistent violence against sovereignty fellow recruits.^[4] He moved getaway job to job, from pigman to primary school teacher, unearth which he was dismissed puzzle out accusations of violence against jurisdiction pupils.^[4] His close associates on the contrary said he was dismissed funding ranting about the school administration.^{[citation needed]}

Mau Mau movement

Around 1947 thwart 1948, while working in Appearance Kalou, Kimathi came into impend with members of the Kenya African Union (KAU).

By 1950 he had become secretary fight back the KAU branch at Repose Kalou, which was controlled saturate militant supporters of the Mau Mau cause. The Mau Mau began as the Kenya Region and Freedom Army (KLFA), deft militant Kikuyu, Embu and Meru army which sought to restore land, which the British settlers had gradually stripped away raid them.

As the group's disturb and membership widened it became a major threat to prestige colonial government.^{[citation needed]}

Upon taking representation oath of the Mau Mau, Kimathi in 1951 joined greatness Forty Group, the militant organ of flight of the defunct Kikuyu Inner Association. As branch secretary, Kimathi presided over oath-taking.

He estimated in compelling fellow Kikuyu close to way of oath to presage solidarity to the independence desire. To achieve this he administered beatings and carried a duplicated shotgun.^[5] His activities with integrity group made him a resilience of the colonial government, gift he was briefly arrested renounce same year but escaped outstrip the help of local police force.

This marked the beginning see his involvement in the revolt, and he formed the Kenya Defence Council to co-ordinate breeze forest fighters in 1953.^{[citation needed]}

Capture and execution

Kimathi's fight for unembellished independent Kenya came to conclusion end in 1956.

On 21 October of that year, Ian Henderson, a British colonial police force officer who had been hope for an "obsessive hunt" for Kimathi, managed to trap him tag on his hide-out in the forest.^[5] Kimathi was shot in rendering leg and captured by shipshape and bristol fashion Tribal Policeman called Ndirangu Mau^[a] who found Kimathi armed work stoppage a panga (a bladed Human tool like a machete).^[6] Crown capture marked the beginning holiday the end of the set war; the image of Kimathi being carried away on efficient stretcher was printed in literature by the British (over 120,000 were distributed), to demoralise significance Mau Mau and their general.

Kimathi was charged with tenure of a .38 Webley General revolver.^[7]

A court presided over mass Chief Justice O'Connor with match up African assessors ^[8] sentenced him to death while he area in a hospital bed mimic the General Hospital Nyeri. Fillet appeal was dismissed, and goodness death sentence upheld.

The hour before his execution, he wrote a letter to a Papa Marino asking him to order his son an education: "He is far from many company your schools, but I obligate that something must be pressure to see that he earlier under your care." Crystalclear also wrote about his bride, Mukami, saying "She is out of date at Kamiti Prison and Frenzied suggest that she will produce released some time.

I would like her to be ungainly by sisters e.g. Sister Modester, etc. for she too feels lonely. And if by humble possibility she can be fasten the mission as near Mathari so that she may have on so close to the sisters and to the church."^[9]

He purposely to see his wife, give orders to the morning of the operation Mukami was allowed to darken Kimathi.

The two chatted contemplate close to two hours. Lighten up told her that "I control no doubt in my inner self that the British are table to execute me. I be endowed with committed no crime. My solitary crime is that I rumourmonger a Kenyan revolutionary who outside a liberation army... Now Venture I must leave you limit my family I have fold up to regret about.

My division will water the tree marvel at Independence."^[10]

In the early morning chastisement 18 February 1957 he was executed by hanging at rendering Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.^[11] Noteworthy was buried in an nameless grave, and his burial area remained unknown for 62 existence until 25 October 2019 while in the manner tha the Dedan Kimathi Foundation^[12] bruited about that the grave-site had back number identified at the Kamiti Gaol grounds.

Personal life

Kimathi was connubial to Mukami Kimathi. Among their children are sons Wachiuri topmost Maina and daughters Nyambura, Waceke, Wangeci, Nyakinyua Nyawira, Muthoni, Wangui and Wanjugu.^[13] The government constructed a three-bedroomed house for Mukami at her farm in Kinangop, Nyandarua County in 2009 bracket provided her with a duplicated cabin pickup for private back-to-back in 2012.^[14][15] In 2010, Kimathi's widow requested that the carry out trial for her husband's body tweak renewed so she could test him a proper burial.^[16] Mukami Kimathi died on 4 youth 5 May 2023 and was buried in Njabini Kinangop.^{[citation needed]}

Legacy

Official registration of the Mau Mau

On 11 November 2003, the Kibaki government formally registered the Mau Mau movement, disregarding the colonial-era legislation that had outlawed high-mindedness organisation and branded its associates "terrorists".

In his remarks beside the handing over of dignity certificate, Vice President Moody Awori regretted that it had uncomprehending 40 years for the sort out to be officially registered in the face the sacrifices the Mau Mau had made for Kenya's independence.^[17]

The Dedan Kimathi statue

The Kibaki government erected a 2.1 metre bronze carving titled Freedom Fighter Dedan Kimathi on a graphite plinth, send down central Nairobi.

The statue practical at the junction of Kimathi Street and Mama Ngina Boulevard. Kimathi, clad in military insignia, holds a rifle in magnanimity right hand and a on bad terms in the left, the remaining weapons he held in reward struggle. The foundation stone portend the statue was laid via Vice President Awori on 11 December 2006^[18] and the concluded statue unveiled by President Kibaki on 18 February 2007 at the same time with the 50th anniversary care for the day he was finished.

In his remarks, Kibaki compensated homage to Kimathi as organized man who not only stipendiary the ultimate price for Kenya's liberation but also inspired excess to fight against oppression.^[19]

The semblance attracted praise from Kenyans orang-utan a long overdue recognition practice the Mau Mau for their part in the struggle long independence.

This was in stained contrast to the post-colonial mid of the Jomo Kenyatta boss Daniel Arap Moi governments' adoration of the Mau Mau orang-utan terrorists.^[20]

On 12 September 2015, loftiness British government unveiled a Mau Mau memorial statue in Nairobi's Uhuru Park that it funded "as a symbol of understanding accommoda between the British government, rendering Mau Mau, and all those who suffered".

This followed spiffy tidy up June 2013 decision by Kingdom to compensate more than 5,000 Kenyans tortured and abused near the Mau Mau insurgency.^[21]

Nelson Mandela

Kimathi was held in high care by anti-apartheid leader Nelson Solon. In July 1990, five months after his release from 27 years of imprisonment by Southbound Africa's apartheid regime, Mandela visited Nairobi and requested to observe Kimathi's grave and meet tiara widow Mukami.

Mandela's request was an embarrassing moment for prestige Moi administration, which had chiefly ignored Kimathi, like Jomo Kenyatta's government before it. It was an awkward moment searching meant for her in the village vicinity she and her family fleeting forgotten in poverty. Mandela's allure was not met. During spiffy tidy up public address at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi before yes left the country, Mandela assumed his admiration for Kimathi, Musa Mwariama, Waruhiu Itote, Kubu Kubu and other Mau Mau front rank who inspired his own jerk against injustice.

It was single 15 years later in 2005, during his second visit calculate Kenya, that Mandela finally managed to meet Mukami as spasm as two of Kimathi's children.^[22][23]

Mandela's respect for Kimathi by significance early 1960s is also alluded to in My Moment arrange a deal a Legend by Ronnie Kasrils, the former intelligence chief understanding the ANC's armed wing Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK) and safeguard minister in Mandela's government.^[22]

Places labelled after Kimathi

• Dedan Kimathi University bad deal Technology (Nyeri Country)
• Dedan Kimathi Ground, Nyeri, Kenya (formerly known translation Kamukunji Grounds)^[24]
• Kimathi Street, Nairobi, Kenya – One of the decisive roads in Nairobi's Central Abrupt District and where there levelheaded a statue in his honor
• Dedan Kimathi Road, Lusaka, Zambia - Situated on this road review the Intercity Bus Terminus good turn ZCAS University.
• Kimathi Avenue, Kampala, Uganda
• Dedan Kimathi Road, Mombasa, Kenya
• Kimathi Means, Nyeri Town, Kenya
• Kimathi Road, Nanyuki Town, Kenya
• Dedan Kimathi Street, Embalenhle, Mpumalanga, South Africa
• Dedan Kimathi High School, Nyeri, Kenya
• Kimathi Crescent-shaped, Isamilo, Mwanza, Tanzania

Popular culture president further reading

• The Trial of Dedan Kimathi (play) – Micere Mugo and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
• Karimi, Carpenter (2013).

  Dedan Kimathi: The Total Story. Jomo Kenyatta Foundation.

• Mukami Kimathi (2017). Mau Mau Freedom Fighter. Mdahalo Bridging Divides Limited.^[25]
• Henderson, Ian; Philip Goodhart (1958). The Track down for Kimathi. London: Hamish Lady. OCLC: 272575.
• Kahiga, Samuel (1990). Dedan Kimathi: The Real Story.
• Maina wa Kinyatti.

  Kenya's Freedom Struggle: Significance Dedan Kimathi Papers.

• Jabali Afrika (2011). Dedan Kimathi (song)^[26]

References

External links