Commemorating Kenya’s Steadfast Freedom Fighter
65 years down the line since the brutal execution of one of Kenya’s freedom fighters, the late Dedan Kimathi Waciuri, on 18th February 2022, Kenyans commemorated the day with both delight and grief. Dedan Kimathi was not only Kenya’s freedom fighter as widely known by many people both locally and internationally but in him stood so many “kimathis” in diverse faces of humanity. Due to his devoted love for the people and not only from his own tribe but to all Kenyans, He had to quit from all that he loved including careers and professions to participate in liberating this country.
His Life
Dedan Kimathi had many hats apart from his expertise in holding a gun since he was also a teacher, a storyteller, loved poetry and was also a social debater. Besides all these, he was an intellectual of an extraordinary pedigree among his peers. Many African writers and academic intellectuals from both literature and histories of East Africa have enormously featured Kimathi in their works. Professor Ali Mazurui in his famous works highlighting history of Africa’s struggles for freedoms from various colonies centrally singled out Kimathi as an outrageous razor-sharp commander in the Forest. Professor Sam Kahiga in his book entitled “Dedan Kimathi the True Hero” openly quoted “Kimathi Waciuri was not only well informed but was a gifted organizer of his troops in the forest. Unlike many commanders, he used to give them bits of advice on various aspects of life besides military-like tactics. (As quoted by Nicholus Githuku in the “The Elephant – Speaking truth to power.”)
” But one thing is without doubt: there was once a man in a leopard skin jacket and hat under a castor oil tree in the thick tapestry of sickly wafting mist of the Nyandarua Forest of the cold Aberdare Ranges of Central Kenya. A man who consigned himself there because he loved the idea of a free country more than anything in the world, even his life. A man who, aiming for neither wealth nor comfort, ventured all to put, in one act of violent resistance, the invisible thought in his mind. A man who is in anybody’s eyes and for all times will remain, a liberator, for he sought the ideal of self-mastery and freedom stemming from the restoration of alienated African lands.”
His Capture
On October 21, 1956, the self-styled Field Marshall Dedan Kimathi was captured following a manhunt led by Ian Henderson, a British intelligence officer. By the time of his capture, a bounty had been placed on Kimathi. It was however not Henderson who first caught him: He was captured after having been wounded by gunshots from two Home Guards belonging to a self-defence militia of his own Kikuyu ethnic group.
His Execution
Kimathi was quickly put on trial and finally executed on February 18, 1957. The colonialists then dumped his body in an unmarked grave at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, presumably to stop Kenyans from turning the grave into a shrine. For several decades, the family, relatives and the Kenyan government pleaded with London to reveal the location where Kimathi’s remains lay but to no avail. It was only in 2019 that news of his burial site being discovered was released.
On 18th February 2022 we commemorated the execution of Dedan Kimathi in Njabini, South Kinangop – Nyandarua County at his home.
The County was Represented too
Their Excellencies Governor Francis Kimemia and Deputy Governor Cecilia Mbuthia among other high profile guests teamed up with the family of the late freedom fighter Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi Wachiuri in commemorating 65 years since he was executed. The well attended ceremony was held at his Sasumua Dam village home in Njabini, Kinangop Sub County.
Governor Kimemia noted that the legacy of the freedom struggle icon has been kept alive by his widow Mukami Kimathi and the Dedan Kimathi Foundation spearheaded by his daughter Evelyn. He said Nyandarua County was proud to be home of our freedom fighters who shed blood to liberate the Country from the yolk of colonialism.
The Governor noted that a draft policy on county heroes and heroines prepared by the Directorate of Culture and the Arts is awaiting approval by the County Assembly.
