Six Mau Mau Generals
By: Paul Maina
Worth Noting:
- Yet it is not a twist of fact to mention here that they never saw the midnight of 12th December, 1963 when the flag of the Republic of Kenya was raised, nor did they share in the division of the white highlands, the land they gave their lives for.
- Except for a few streets named after them no one knows their graves, and their families are hardly free from want. We published this article in the belief that their names will find a sacred place in the heart of our nation, and that their deeds of courage will stimulate those whom destiny denied the privilege of playing a part in that glorious struggle, to dedicate themselves even more to the cause of our freedom.
This is a story of six men who gave more to Kenya’s Independence than perhaps anyone else. They led a band of poorly armed, poorly trained and permanently hungry men into the cold jungle of Mt. Kenya and Mt. Aberdares to fight against the largest and the finest army of the day. Moved by a sense of desperation that which moves a man beyond a point of forbearance, and trusting not in the might of their number or the accuracy of their arms but simply in the determination of their hearts, they fought a hit and run battle and kept several British Battalions harassed for a period of four years. The cost in terms of lives and money was enormous but the reward was worth more. At the end of it the powerful British Government accepted to sit down on a round table conference with the African representatives to work out an acceptable constitution which led to Kenya’s Independence.
Few names before them, deserver worthier reference in the form of a National Monument. Their deeds remind ourselves and those yet to be born how many these men lost, how long and how bitterly they fought for our freedom, and how much we owe to them. All of them [General Kago, General Stanley Mathenge, General China, General Kariba, General Tanganyika and General Dedan Kimathi] except General China who escaped hanging narrowly were either killed in action or hanged, for what would today win them a golden medal.
The victory they won though they lost their lives, laid down the root principles of Kenya’s citizenship.
Yet it is not a twist of fact to mention here that they never saw the midnight of 12th December, 1963 when the flag of the Republic of Kenya was raised, nor did they share in the division of the white highlands, the land they gave their lives for.
Except for a few streets named after them no one knows their graves, and their families are hardly free from want. We published this article in the belief that their names will find a sacred place in the heart of our nation, and that their deeds of courage will stimulate those whom destiny denied the privilege of playing a part in that glorious struggle, to dedicate themselves even more to the cause of our freedom. For while hunger, poverty, ignorance, selfishness and absence of a clear purpose remain unconquered, freedom is still a dream in the hearts of many.
… Even as I commend all those who contributed positively towards the success of this article, may I also mention to the reader that certain details about the Mau Mau are not easy to unearth. Even now there is still a curtain of secrecy behind the movement. Many people appear to be afraid of an unseen power and are reluctant to talk freely about the movement for reasons best known to themselves.
Six Mau Mau Generals. Paul Maina, 1977.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER June 13-14, 2026
- Agĩkũyũ elders and scholars to convene in historic first national cultural gathering
- Residents prioritize water, roads and health during public participation on KSh7.66B budget
- Kiambu citizen seeks full rollout of grassroots administrative structures through petition
- Ombudsman intervention forces Kimathi University to pay former lecturer millions in salary arrears
About the Author
