Mau Mau veteran issues Kiambu leadership with his published memoir

Kiambu,

Wednesday, December 12, 2023

KNA by Wangari Ndirangu

One of Kenya’s freedom fighters Gitu wa Kahengeri launched his memoir book entitled The betrayal of Mau Mau Freedom Fighters at Kiambu County during celebrations of Jamhuri day.

The Mau Mau war veteran who attended the celebrations at the Kirigiti stadium said although he was happy to have met King Charles of the United Kingdom when he visited the country recently, he was not satisfied with the talks.

“I told the king that the British made us poor, for years there was no settlement as the British took our land and above all some people even went to jail. We remain poor and they cannot give us money for medicine as compensation. We are still waiting for justice,” he said.

Gitu was among a few Mau Mau veterans and their descendants who met with King Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla with some of the discussion being reparations and compensation for the atrocities committed by the British government during mau mau uprising more than six decades ago.

Although the King acknowledged those atrocities, he was non-committal on compensation.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the Mau Mau fighter asked the sitting Governor Kimani Wamatangi to ensure he did good for the county by being a good leader and performing well in his duties saying this will leave a mark and people will remember his good deeds.

The veteran also appealed to Kiambu Members of County Assembly to amend the name of the Kirigiti Stadium by including the name Mau-Mau in the Kirigiti International stadium in memory of those who passed on and those who will come.

“Instead of Kirigiti International stadium, can you insert the name Mau -Mau in front of the Kirigiti or in between Kirigiti and the word International? If you do that you will leave a mark, he said.

Gitu wa Kahengeri according to his records was born on June 1920 and is now 103 years. He took an oath in support of the Mau Mau Freedom Movement in 1950. He was also jailed together with his father during that time, tortured and denied food in a British-run labour camp in Kenya. He issued to some leaders his book during the launch.

Governor Wamatangi said, “as we think about the selflessness of the heroic generation before us, let us not overlook that their efforts were not solely about transferring power from the colonialists to the black man but marked the genesis of weaving a national fabric aimed at enhancing the lives of every individual and advancing our country as a whole.

The journey, as articulated by the Founding Father, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Wamatangi said signified the commencement of a battle against disease, ignorance and poverty.

Kiambu, he added has been fortunate to have been among the places that produced individuals who played key roles in securing Kenya’s independence and shaping the nation’s progress after gaining freedom.

“It is essential that we consistently pay tribute to these remarkable individuals, both men and women, and take pride in our identity as the people of Kiambu”, Governor Wamatangi said.

The Mau Mau Rebellion took place from 1952 until 1960 and was caused fundamentally by the British colonization of Kenya.

Courtesy; KNA