Nomad_Africa_Edition12

MZEE JOMO
KENYATTA
THE CARPENTER WHO BECAME A RENOWNED PAN-AFRICANIST
Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was a pioneer and political giant among his
countrymen during his time of governance in Kenya. Leading his nation into
independence from British colonial rule as Kenya’s first Prime Minister and President,
many will argue that were it not for men such as Kenyatta, Africa’s progress and
liberation as a continent free from European domination may have come at a much
slower pace.
Words: DIETER GÖTTERT
born on October 20,
1891 at Ichaweri, Jomo
Kenyatta was also
known as Johnstone
Kamau Ngengi as a
child. When his mother
died, Kamau moved to
live with his grandfather,
Kungu Mangana,
who was a noted medicine man in the area.
Around the age of 10, suffering from an infection,
Kamau was taken to the Church of
Scotland mission at Thogoto (about 20 kms
north of Nairobi), where surgery was successfully
carried out on both feet and one
leg. Kamau was impressed by his first exposure
to Europeans, and determined to join
the mission school. He ran away from home
to become a resident pupil at the mission,
studying amongst other subjects, the Bible,
English, Mathematics, and carpentry. He
paid the school fees by working as a houseboy
and cook for a nearby white settler.
The year 1912 saw Kenyatta complete his
mission school education and begin his life
as a young man. He had to first undergo certain
traditional ceremonies in order to gain
the respect within society as was expected
at the time. This began in 1913 by undergoing
a Kikuyu initiation ceremony (including
circumcision), which confirmed his standing
as a young man holding his place firmLY in
the eyes of Kenyan society.
In August 1914, Kamau was baptised at the
Church of Scotland mission, initially taking
the name John Peter Kamau, but swiftly
changing it to Johnson Kamau. Looking forward
to a bright future, he departed from
the mission to go to Nairobi to seek employment.
Johnson Kamau managed to secure employment
as an apprentice carpenter on a
sisal farm in Thika under the tutelage of John
Cook, who had been in charge of the building
programme at Thogoto. Despite his
seemingly smooth progression in life, forces
beyond his control began to affect him.
Word War I was in progress, making Kamau
a prime candidate for forced recruitment.
Like many other fellow Kikuyu countrymen,
he refused to fight for the British. Kamau
evaded the forced recruitment by moving
to Narok, a town south of Nairobi, where he
lived among the Maasai people, finding
employment as a clerk at a local contractor.
Although Kenyatta was of the Kikuyu origin,
he intergrated very well within the Maasai
community and even adopted some Maasai
customs including the wearing of a kinyata -
a beaded traditional belt.
In 1919, Kenyatta met his first wife Grace
Wahu. Interestingly, church elders ordered
Kenyatta to marry her after learning that
Wahu was pregnant and according to
Kikuyu traditions, Kenyatta got married in a
traditional ceremony.
However, a European magistrate ordered
him to follow Christian marriage rites. On 20
November, Peter Muigai, Kenyatta’s first son
was born, and two years later, Kenyatta finally
married Grace Wahu in a civil ceremony.
In the meantime, Kamau had been
undertaking several jobs including being an
interpreter for the High Court.
Kenyatta began working for the Nairobi Municipal
Council as a water-meter reader and
store clerk, once again under John Cook
who was the Water Superintendent. Meter
reading helped him meet many Kenyan-
Asians at their homes who would become
important allies later on. This marked the
start of his political career.
Harry Thuku, a respected Kikuyu had formed
the East African Association (EAA) the previous
year. The organisation had an objective
of campaigning for the return of Kikuyu
lands that had been taken by white settlers
when Kenya became a British Crown Colony
in 1920. Kenyatta entered politics after taking
an interest in the political activities of James
Beauttah and Joseph Kang'ethe, the leaders
of the Kikuyu Central Association (KCA). He
joined KCA in 1924 and rose up in the ranks
of the association. Eventually, he began to
edit the movement's Kikuyu newspaper.
In 1928, he had become the KCA's general
secretary. May 1928 marked the launch of
the KCA backed Kikuyu-language magazine,
Muĩgwithania (roughly translated as "The
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