Mũkami Kĩmathi: Mau Mau Woman Freedom Fighter

Mũkami Kĩmathi: Mau Mau Woman Freedom Fighter, which is on the Fage and Oliver Prize shortlist, is
the story of the brave wife of one of Kenya’s foremost freedom
fighters, Field Marshal Dedan Kĩmathi Waciũri. Kĩmathi led the Mau Mau
war in Kenya’s independence struggle against the British colonialists.
Mũkami’s role as a daughter, wife, mother, freedom fighter and leader is
varied and very complex.

Her story spans pre and post-independent
Kenya. Her experiences provide an important complement to existing
written literature on Kenya’s history. In 2003, the Mwai Kĩbakĩ
Government lifted the ban put in place by the British colonialists
declaring the Mau Mau as terrorists, and recognised Mũkami Kĩmathi and
other freedom fighters as national heroes and heroines celebrated on
20th October as Mashujaa Day.

This book gives an insight into the
role of women freedom fighters and the struggles they faced both during
and after the war. It is an incredible story of immense self-sacrifice
and love for Kenya. Mũkami provides the lens to see the wider picture of
women in the independence struggle, the neglect and betrayal of wives
of Mau Mau fighters in particular and women in general in Kenya’s
making. Beyond her role in the independence struggle, Mũkami’s story has
many historical highlights such as time shared with Kĩmathi, meeting
Nelson Mandela and her fruitful and strong relationship with Kenya’s
human rights movement.