Dedan Kimathi

Statue of Dedan Kimathi in Nairobi Kenya

Dedan Kimathi Waciuri (truly, Kimathi wa Waciuri), (31 October 1920 – 18 February 1957) was a Kenyan rebel leader who fought against the British colonial government in Kenya in the 1950s. He was convicted and executed in 1957 for murder and terrorism. ^[1]

The British colonial government that ruled Kenya considered him a terrorist, as did the many Kenyans who opposed the Mau Maus.^[2] The Mau Mau killed at least two thousand Kenyan civilians,^[2] 32 European settlers, and 200 British and Kenyan soldiers in the eight year uprising. The British and Kenyan military units killed 20,000 Mau Mau rebels in combat, hanged over 1000 suspected Mau Mau supporters, and interned more than 70,000 Kikuyu civilians.^[3] Former Mau Mau viewed Kimathi as a freedom fighter, although many of the Kikuyu viewed him as a terrorist, due to the predations of the Mau-Mau and to the atrocities committed by the Mau Mau upon them.^[4] A particularly good source of turned agents for the Government forces were those former Mau Mau escaping from summary justice handed out by Kimathi, which was followed by death by strangulation. As Kimathi's own band became fewer in number and the government forces became more adept at limiting his movement, Kimathi became more and more paranoid and would execute members of his own band for almost random reasons, usually suspicion of 'spying'.^[5] In the end the main force against the remaining Mau Mau led by Kimathi consisted entirely of former Mau Mau who were now working for the Government. The capture of Kimathi was aided by their knowledge and skills because of the vast areas of rough terrain which hid the Mau Mau and Kimathi.^[5]

Early life

Kimathi was born in Thegenge Village Tetu division, Nyeri District.His father was polygamous and had 3 wives but he died before Kimathi was born. Kimathi was raised by his mother, Waibuthi. He had 2 brothers, Wambararia and Wagura, and 2 sisters. At the age of fifteen, he joined the local primary school, Karuna-ini, where he perfected his English skills. He would later use those language skills to write extensively before and during the uprising. He was a Debate Club member in his school and also showed special ability in poetry. He was deeply religious and carried a Bible regularly. He worked for the forest department collecting tree seeds to help him foot his school bill. He later joined Tumutumu CMS School for his secondary learning, but dropped out for lack of funds.

He was circumcised on 17th September 1938 at Ihururu dispensary.

He dabbled with several jobs but never felt fully settled. Notable was his enlisting with the army to fight in the Second World War in 1941. However, in 1944, he was expelled for misconduct. In 1946, he became a member of the Kenya African Union. In 1949, he started teaching at his old school Tumutumu, but left the job within two years.

Mau Mau movement

Nevertheless, he managed to be very influential to whomever he met through the string of jobs he was able to obtain. He became radically political in 1950. He involved himself with the Mau Mau, and later that year administered the oath of the Mau Mau, making him a marked man to the colonial government. He joined Forty Group, the militant wing of the defunct Kikuyu Central Association in 1951. He was elected as a local branch secretary of KAU in Ol' Kalou and Thomson's Falls area in 1952. he was briefly arrested in that same year, but escaped with the help of local police. This marked the beginning of his violent uprising. He formed Kenya Defence Council to co-ordinate all forest fighters in 1953.

In 1956, he was finally arrested with one of his wives, Wambui. He was sentenced to death by a court presided by Chief Justice Sir Kenneth O'Connor, while he was in a hospital bed at the General Hospital Nyeri. In the early morning of 18 February 1957 he was executed by the colonial government. The hanging took place at the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.^[6] He was buried in an unmarked grave, and his burial site remains unknown.

Legacy

Kimathi is viewed by the current Kenyan government as a national hero. On the anniversary of the day he was executed, a bronze statue of Kimathi was unveiled in Nairobi city centre. Kimathi, clad in military regalia, holds a rifle on the right hand and a dagger on the other, symbolizing the last weapons he held in his struggle. This official celebration of Mau Mau is in marked contrast to a post-colonial norm of all previous Kenyan governments regard of the mau mau as terrorists.^[7] Such a turnabout has attracted criticism of government manipulation of the Mau Mau uprising for political ends.^[8]

The Dedan Kimathi Stadium in Nyeri was renamed after him, it was formerly known as Kamukunji Grounds.^[9]

Kimathi was married to Mukami Kimathi. Among their children are sons Wachiuri and Maina and daughters Nyawira and Wanjugu.^[10]

A bronze statue of "Freedom Fighter Dedan Kimathi" on a graphite plinth has been erected by the current Kenyan government in central Nairobi.

Further reading

• Henderson, Ian; Philip Goodhart (1958). The Hunt for Kimathi. London: Hamish Hamilton. OCLC: 272575. 

References

1. ^ Kanogo, Tabitha (2011). [www.eastafricanpublishers.com Maker's of Kenya's History : Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi Wachiuri]. Brick Court, Mpaka road, westlands. Nairobi.: East African Educational Publishers Ltd.. pp. 98. ISBN 978-9966-46-820-8. www.eastafricanpublishers.com. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Page, Malcolm (1998). KAR: a history of the King's African Rifles. London: Leo Cooper. pp. 206. ISBN 0-85052-538-1. OCLC: 39264917. 
3. ^ Anderson, David (2005). Histories of the Hanged: The Dirty War in Kenya and the End of Empire. New York: Norton & Company. pp. 4–6. ISBN 0393059863. OCLC: 56834739. 
4. ^ Henderson, Ian (1953). Man Hunt in Kenya. Doubleday. pp. 240. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Henderson, Ian (1953). Man Hunt in Kenya. Doubleday. pp. 240. 
6. ^ The EastAfrican: 'Dedan Kimathi was buried at Lang'ata' 10 December 2001
7. ^ Branch (2009). Defeating Mau Mau, Creating Kenya. p. xi. 
8. ^ Branch (2009). Defeating Mau Mau, Creating Kenya. p. xiii–xiv. 
9. ^ THe Standard, November 4, 2009: RESTORING LOST GLORY: Nyeri half Marathon organisers keen to make the event a success
10. ^ The Standard: Mandela heaps praise on freedom fighters 3 October 2005

External links

• Daily Nation: Villagers' fond memories of Mau Mau hero Kimathi
• Kenya Times: Did Kimathi die in vain?
• A conversation with insurgents who had fought alongside Dedan Kimathi
• Kimathi's life
• Dedan Kimathi's background (article in the middle of the page)
• A brief discussion of the uprising
• Report from Kenya

Persondata
Name	Kimathi, Dedan
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	31 October 1920
Place of birth
Date of death	18 February 1957
Place of death