Welcome Causes Campaigns Legacy Gallery Resources In the News Be Part of the Debate Interviews Interactive Map Mau Mau History Key Individuals Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi Dedan Kimathi was a Mau Mau leader in Kenya, born on 31 October 1920 to a wealthy Kikuyu family. He was baptised and educated at a Church Missionary School, where he was reportedly a clever and able student. He joined the army in 1941 but was discharged for allegedly intimidating fellow recruits. his involvemt in politics began at the end of World War II, where he joined the Kenyan African Union, becoming an organiser in the youth movement and then a branch secretary in 1952. He was, at the same time, a member of the ’40 group’, a militant arm of the Kenyan African Union, and joined the Mau Mau from this- it is thought that he was a key recruiter for them due to his natural charisma and leadership skills. His organisational skills led to him becoming a key leader of the Mau Mau after the state of emergency was declared in 1952, although he took little part in heavy fighting during 1953 and early 1954. He became a Field Marshall and head of the ‘Kenya Defence Council’, despite his authority being questioned from some Kikuyu districts, particularly by Stanley Mathenge. With the success of the British Military campaign against the Mau Mau, Kimathi’s behaviour became more and more erratic, styling himself ‘Sir Dedan’ and declaring himself Prime Minister. Now in control of only limited forces, he began to struggle to maintain authority, and a British manhunt supported by some ex-Mau Mau who resented his claims to power was eventually successful in 1956. The British government, believing that they had removed the last significant Mau Mau leader, celebrated by distributing pictures of him chained on a stretcher and rewarding his captors. He was charged with being found with a revolver and six rounds of ammunition, and was executed for this offence in February 1957. After independence, his legacy grew, and he is now remembered as a people’s hero who made independence possible. Both a road and a stadium in Nairobi have been named after him, while a statue of his was also erected clad in military regalia. His burial site remains to this day unknown. Stanley Mathenge A leader in both the Kenya African Union and the ’40 group’, Mathenge served as a political and military leader of the Mau Mau. He was a much firmer believer in Kikuyu tradition than other leaders in the Mau Mau, and was a strong advocate of violence being the only way for Kenya to attain independence. He did, however, have a significant rivalry with Dedan Kimathi over who was seen as the better leader of the Mau Mau. Mathenge was illiterate, and felt that Kimathi represented a new style of leadership which went against Kikuyu tradition. He also considered Kimathi an inferior military leader, having had no formal military training or involvement in World War II. Mathenge disappeared in 1956 after the capture of Kimathi, but no British records of him ever having entered any camp have surfaced. He was later reported to be living in Ethiopia, although these were never been verified. General China (Waruhiu Itote) General China completes the triumvate of the three most important military leaders of the Mau Mau. Like Mwariama, he served in the British Army during the Second World War, going on to become a corporal in the King’s African Rifles. He was captured in January 1954, and subsequently spent most of his time in various detention camps, spared the death penalty due to his co-operation with British forces. After independance, he wrote two autobiographies, both closely focused on his time in the Mau Mau, and eventually became the leader of the Kenyan National Youth Service in Nairobi. Jomo Kenyatta Jomo Kenyatta was Kenya’s first prime minister, and is today considered the founding father of Kenya. He was born into a Kikuyu family, and educated in a Church Missionary School, converting to Christianity in 1914. He worked in a succession of jobs, before becoming politically active and joining the Kikuyu Central Association in 1924. He was extremely successful, becoming the newspaper editor and general secretary by 1928. In 1929 he traveled to Britain, and had articles published in leading newspaper such as The Times and the Manchester Guardian. In 1931 he returned to London for a second time, where he looked to continue his education. He remained politically active in London, even beginning an association with the British Communists. In 1933, he began studying economics in Moscow, although he left the same year. He continued his association with politics, helping to organise the 5th Pan-African conference in London, and studies at the London School of Economics- he published a book ‘Facing Mount Kenya’, as part of his thesis. He had previously married in Kenya, but also married a white woman, Edna Clarke, in London in 1942. He eventually returned to Kenya in 1946, leaving behind his wife and son. In 1947, he was elected as President of the Kenya African Union, and British records show how he was under close surveillance by the security forces for being a suspected communist. He was the subject of many death threats from white settlers as being perceived as the leader of the growing unrest throughout Kenya in the build up to the Mau Mau rebellions. Early in October 1952 during the Jock Scott operations, Kenyatta was arrested as part of the ‘Kapenguria Six’, six nationalists who were also accused of being members of the Mau Mau. The trial of the six is now widely accepted to have been rigged, with the Judge being offered a significant pension from Governor Baring himself as payment for returning a guilty verdict. The guilty verdict was duly passed and Kenyatta was either imprisoned or detained in Lodwar, a remote area of Kenya. After the state of Emergency was declared over in 1959, Kenyatta remained detained. However, there were increasing calls for him to be released: on 15 April 1960, over a million signatures for a plea to release him were presented to Sir Patrick Muir Renison, Governor Evlyn Baring’s sucessor. There were increasing visits permitted to him in his detention camp, and his political influence was still clear; on 14 May 1960, he was elected Kenyan African National Union leader despite his absence. Finally, on 14 August 1961, he was released and brought to Gatundu to a hero’s welcome. After positions in the legislative council, Kenyatta led Kenya into the Lancaster House Conferences which ultimately formed the basis for the Kenya as an independent state. Elections where held in May 1963, ultimately electing Kenyatta as Kenya’s first Prime Minister, a role he continued to hold after independence later that year. He consistently preached a reconcilliatory tone, encouraging white settlers to remain in Kenya. He also presided over the gradual ‘Africanisation’ of government, with many civil servants kept in post until they were slowly replaced with Kenyans. He also maintained close ties with the British, including military help to quell an army revolt and fight a Somalian Insurgency. He was not, however, universally popular throughout his tenure as Prime Minister, for decisions including banning his chief political rivals and favoring the Kikuyu tribe for positions of power. Despite him being one of the key political leaders of the Kikuyu, his role with the Mau Mau has often been debated. He was never a political radical, and never openly supported them. He married a colonial chief’s daughter, and the majority of his initial government was formed from Kikuyu colonial collaborators, a decision sure to go against Mau Mau veterans. While his politics and corruption after independence have been widely criticized, it is quite clear Kenyatta enjoys a position of being a founding father of Kenya- something he will always be revered for. After his death in 1978, he was given a full state funeral and is buried on parliament grounds. Sir Evelyn Baring Evelyn Baring was Governor of Kenya from 1952 to 1959, overseeing the entire period of the Kenyan Emergency. He had previously served as a civil servant in India, as Governor of Southern Rhodesia and as UK High Commissioner in the Union of South Africa, and had from a young age felt himself destined for a life in the civil service. His abilities were clear throughout his initial posts, where he helped deal with tribal conflict, and was highly thought of in London. Upon his arrival in Kenya, he had been bequeathed a situation of escalating violence and trouble that had been left untouched by his predecessor; something he found very difficult to accept. Quickly, he came to a conclusion that some concessions would have to be made to Kenyans, but he also felt very strongly that the Mau Mau should be fought as a terrorist threat, rather than a group that could be negotiated with. However, he was a poor public speaker, and due to ill health could be slow to react and make decisions, something which made him appear an indecisive and a weak leader. The white settler population often could not accept his position, and attempting to appease both settlers and Africans placed him in a position whereby he was constantly facing criticism. Baring placed great faith in his civil service and administrative officers of different areas in Kenya, but often was given misleading reports on the levels of violence used in dealing with Mau Mau suspects. While correspondence with the Colonial Office indicates he advocated the use of force against the Mau Mau, he failed to exercise appropriate control and regulation of his regional officers. His faith in his civil service and regional administration was such that unwavering support lead to widespread brutality in detention camps which he was often unaware of. However, Baring supported the liberal use of capital punishment against the Mau Mau suspects in trials which can be considered judicially illegitimate. Contemporary history often paints a picture of Baring as central to the escalating violence and brutality; particularly Elkins is very critical of his time as governor. However, this overlooks the fact that he took Kenya through the best part of a brutal period of transition from colony to independent state. His obituary in the Times in 1973 recognises how he took Kenya from ‘a land of danger and left it a land of hope’ (12 March 1973). Even after he left office as Governor, he remained a keen advocate for promoting the betterment of Kenyan farming through his Kenya Tea Smallholders initiative. it remained a source of considerable pride for the rest of his life that in the last days of his leadership of Kenya, he personally saved a young African girl from drowning off the coast. General Sir George Erskine George Erskine arrived in Kenya in 1953 with a considerable reputation. Having fought in both the first and Second World Wars, he was characterised as a general with sound judgement, though criticised by superiors such as Field Marshall Montgomery for a lack of aggression. He had led during the Second World War in both Africa and France, seeing service in Hong Kong and Egypt after the end of the war. On his arrival, he quickly appreciated the political complexities involved in Kenya and reorganised military operations while imposing tight discipline on the forces under his command. Erskine wrote in dispatches to his superiors in London that the settler population wielded too much power in over government; something he made little effort to disguise his dislike of. However, the settlers dominated the police and administration, and is was necessary to develop close relationships with them. Several offensives were launched over the summer of 1953, and based around significant intelligence work Erskine launched Operation Anvil in 1954. After Villagisation, Erskine concentrated on military sweeps, gradually handing responsibility over to the police and Home Guard militia as security improved, and then looking to locate and attack remaining Mau Mau groups in the forests. In May 1955 Erskine handed over command, having largely defeated the insurgency and imposed greater discipline on government forces; he secured promotion on the back of his success in dealing with the Mau Mau during his time in Kenya. Share this: Twitter1 Facebook2 Like this: 2 thoughts on “Key Individuals” Ndeanka Caleb on October 28, 2013 at 10:23 am said: Thanks for your post about Maumau history. As an african deeply interested in learning our African history I am bit sad that once again true heroes are being overshadowed by a politician in this post. Very little is written about Kimathi, Mathenge, China and so many others and focus is given to what is claimed to be their rivalry and ambitions for ego. Then again much is written about a mere politician (Kenyatta) with every comment in the article trying desperately to credit him as he was sorely responsible for independence of Kenya. I don’t mean undermine anybody the honourable Kenyatta included but my only plea is credit should be given where they are due and those who deserve recognition whether dead or alive, politicians or not they should be treated fairly. Reply ↓ benbayley on November 21, 2013 at 6:01 am said: Hi ndeanka Thanks for your comment- I agree that china/ mathenge and others all deserve a more detailed biography and analysis from this website. However, at the time of writing I was pressed for time and felt that given his importance post independence i needed to put a focus on Kenyatta. This website was always intended as a project to be contributed to and articles on it are not all necessarily written by me. If you would like to contribute any information I would be more than happy to post it up! All best Ben Bayley Reply ↓ Leave a Reply Blog at WordPress. The Triton Lite Theme. Follow Follow “Mau Mau History” Get every new post delivered to your Inbox. Powered by WordPress
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 10:57:43 +0000
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