New Year, Old Cries – Field Marshal 68th Anniversary Since Execution

A Dark Day in History

February 18th, 1957, remains in the minds of thousands of Kenyan freedom fighters as a dark day when the legendary leader of the Mau Mau, Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi, was executed through hanging by the British. This was after the colonial government charged him with possessing a revolver, after which the British Chief Justice O’Connor sentenced him to death. His capture, which occurred after being shot in the leg by the tribal police Ndirangu Mau, marked the start of the ending of the forest war, as Kimathi was the chief strategist in the Land and Freedom Army. The distribution of over 120,000 printed leaflets showing him being carried away on a stretcher demoralized many of his fellow fighters.

The Price of Liberation

The independence of the nation, attained in 1963, was a result of a fierce fight between the brutal British colonizers and the many Kenyans who stood to count in the liberation struggle. The fighters had everything to lose once they took an oath to dare the colonizers to a fight. Most of them not only had their families broken and land taken away but also had their lives at stake for the sake of the struggle. Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi was among those who paid the price of liberation by blood.

Unsolved Struggles of War Veterans

Fast forwarding to February 18th, 2025, the issues that faced the war veterans after independence remain unsolved. Lack of land, medical cover, compensation for their involvement in the freedom struggle, and basic needs remain deep-rooted challenges denying them opportunities to be proud of their altruistic sacrifices.

As Dedan Kimathi Foundation led the 68th anniversary of the hero’s execution in partnership with Nyeri County Department of Trade, Cooperatives, Culture, and Tourism at Dedan Kimathi Mau Mau Memorial Park at Kahiga-ini in Nyeri County, the faces of the remaining liberators registered a little pride in having a free nation—diluted by disappointment over being neglected beyond their understanding by the government they birthed through sweat and blood.

As their fellow veterans expressed the government’s failure to look into their land issues and medical attention to counter their failing health, many of them could not control their tears. Sixty-one years after independence, a high percentage of them remain landless and in a shocking state of poverty due to lack of compensation or support.

The Unfulfilled Wish of Mama Mukami Kimathi

Adding further insult to injury, the family expressed dissatisfaction with the government for defaulting on honoring Mama Mukami Kimathi’s dying wish to have her husband’s grave found and his remains exhumed for a burial befitting his national liberation status.

A Glimpse of Honor and Gratitude

Despite their woes, the family’s and heroes’ patriotism remained as strong as it was in the forest. They expressed utmost gratitude for the honor granted to Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi by the County Government of Nyeri, which constructed his statue and expanded the historic spot where he was shot and captured into a mega park to preserve the history of his selfless contribution to the struggle.

A Plea for Immediate Action

In their brief remarks, filled with utter desperation, they urged the government—through the National Government Administration Officers present and the Nyeri County Chief Officer for Trade, Cooperatives, Culture, and Tourism—to attend to them hastily as they continue to grow weary and sickly with each passing day.

Passing the Torch to Future Generations

Conforming with the theme of the year, “Inspiring the Future Through a Legacy of Resilience,” the elderlies culminated the momentous event by sharing their knowledge with the youthful audience from Dedan Kimathi University of Technology and pupils from Karuna-ini Comprehensive School, where the legend taught before going to the forest. They urged them to draw motivation from the life of Dedan Kimathi, whose determination watered the tree of Kenya’s independence, as implanted in his quote:

“IT IS BETTER TO DIE ON OUR FEET THAN TO LIVE ON OUR KNEES IN FEAR…”

Echoes of the Struggle

Never-to-be-forgotten cultural songs—largely those sung during the war—rented the air more than a few times, exuding agitated emotions from the elderlies.

The Vision for a Better Tomorrow

Dedan Kimathi Foundation envisions a day when all landless freedom fighters will own land, acquire medical covers, and afford to lead dignified lives as the liberators they are.