21/10/2025
Dedan Kimathi Waciuri ~Overall Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Land Freedom Army (Mau Mau) Fighters
(Pictured) Dedan Kimathi and his brother Wambararia in 1953. This photo was left outside a British military camp in Muranga.
The story was the British were wondering who was the leader of the resistance movement and he decided to make their work easier.
He was born on 31st October 1920 at Thegenge Village, North Tetu location, Nyeri District, in Central Kenya. He was a Mumbui wa mbari ya Gituiku, of the Maina ruling generation.
He joined Karunaini Primary in 1934. He was a brilliant student; always ahead of his classmates.
He was circumcised in 1938 at Ihururu, Nyeri, thus of the Thukia Mataha/Gichuri age-group,.
He joined the King’s African Rifles at the beginning of 1941, during World War 2. He became rebellious to colonialists for what he termed injustice, and deserted after 3 months.
He returned home and continued with his education at Tumutumu CMS. In 1944 he could no longer pay school fees and was finally expelled from school. He tried his hand at various jobs after leaving school including teaching and clerical work.
He married his wife Elsie Mukami in 1949 and they settled in Thomson’s Falls area in 1950.
Kimathi expressed a strong desire to liberate his fellow Africans from the colonial government, which was treating our people as slaves. From 1946 he became a disciple of KAU, which was agitating for Kenya’s Independence. He attended meetings frequently and kept himself informed.
He was elected secretary general of KAU Thomson’s Falls branch (1952) during which time he preached and motivated the desire to fight for our land and freedom to thousands of people in Thomson’s Falls, Ol Kalou, Leshau and nearly half the Nyeri district.
After majority of the Gikuyu tribe had taken the Mau Mau Unity Oath, administration of the second oath began. This was called the Warrior Oath. Some of the countries most devoted and dedicated men like Dedan Kimathi, Stanley Mathenge and General China, among others, emerged and volunteered to lead the already organized groups of Mau Mau fighters.
He became a great oath administrator, acting as master of ceremony in oath administrations. Towards the end of 1952 his name had become closely connected with Mau Mau activities.
After the elimination of Senior Chief Nderi Wang’ombe, on October 22, 1952, in Kimathi’s home location at an oathing ceremony, just two days after the declaration of the State of Emergency, Dedan Kimathi became a wanted man, with a Ksh.10,000 reward offered.
He entered the Aberdare forest with a big following from North Tetu division and other parts of Nyeri district. His entry into the forest was later to be hailed by the composition of a song: “RIRIA KIMATHI WITU AMBATIRE”. The whole country looked to him for victory and ceaselessly prayed to Ngai to send him courage to defeat the white man.
He rose fast to become the overall leader of the Kenya Land and Freedom Army. By 1954 he had been elected Prime Minister of Kenya by his comrades and given the title ‘Field Marshal Sir Dedan Kimathi, Matemo, Knight Commander of the African Empire.
He established fighting camps, drafted codes of rules and regulations, organized supply of recruitments, arms, clothing and medical supplies. He kept relations with passive supporters from outside the forest. He visited other Freedom fighters in Nyandarua Mountains, as well as Murang’a, Kiambu and the Reserves, boosting their morale and helped them in organizing their men into effective fighting units. He also established contact with Mau Mau leaders in the Mt Kenya forest led by General China. He organized many raids and always demanded a full report on how they were carried out. He was also their spiritual leader, leading Mau Mau freedom fighters in prayers facing Mount Kenya, and in traditional Agikuyu ceremonies.
In August 1954 he formed 8 armies, assigning leaders to each and their area of operations. He was responsible for coordinating all forest fighters in countering the Government offensive. He was a leader of exceptional organizational skill. A great patriot. The symbol of the country’s heroism. He wanted bounty freedom and a better life for the future generations of this country.
Through his letters to the government and other Mau Mau leaders, he became the most famous and undisputed leader of all freedom fighters. He was a great hero. Everybody wanted to meet him. After Mau Mau raids, notes would be found after they had left, reading, “Kimathi was here, Ithaka na Wiyathi, Land and Freedom, is what we’re fighting for.” Throughout Kimathi’s writings and speeches and in the reports of meetings held by forest groups, he emphasized on the need for justice, on the possibility of reconciliation on the right to self government.
His total commitment to the struggle and his understanding of the needs of the revolution, despite the hardships faced in the forest, ensured that the KLFA army kept up its offensive at the enemy throughout the entire Freedom Struggle. He led the Kenya Defense Council, Kenya Parliament and founded the Kenya Young Stars Association.
He was finally captured on October 21, 1956, and executed in a Nairobi prison on February 18, 1957. Six years later Kenya gained its independence from the British. Kimathi and the Mau Mau left their imprint in the Kenyan history of resistance against oppression and injustice. It stands in history as one of the greatest liberation struggles ever. Long live Njamba Ya Ruriri/Muthuuri
Mugathe/Kienyu kia Ngai/Hinya wa KLFA/Itugi ria Hicituri ya Kenya ti Dedan Kimathi! Long live Mau Mau! Long live the freedom of Kenya, which he fought and brought.
“But even if we die before achieving our fundamental goal – our country, our rivers, and these forests, shall testify for our heroism and our undying love for our homeland.”
“In working for our people, we are doing God’s work.”
“Let us sacrifice our lives. Let us liberate our motherland.”
“Truly I say unto you we are the heroes that will be remembered by future generations for ever.”
“Gūtirī kīndū kīrī riiri, kīrī mūrīo, kīrī bata, ta kūrūīra wīyathi wa būrūri.”
“This land of ours – Gīkūyū, Ngai blessed it to us and declared that we shall never depart from it.”
