Lives and Contributions of Kenyan Leaders

JOMO KENYATTA Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, as founding president of the Republic of Kenya is arguably one of Kenya’s greatest and most beloved leaders. Even though his physical presence is long gone, his vision for a unified and free Kenya lives on, and remains a major source of inspiration not only to Kenyans, but for all people of African descent. The name Kenyatta stems from the Swahili phrase taa ya Kenya, which stands for the “light of Kenya”, truly befitting of his stature. Just as light shines in the dark, Kenyatta’s vision shone so bright that it awakened Kenyans to the injustices of the British colonial government and prompted them to fight for their rights. It was Kenyatta who powerfully reminded Kenyans that they didn’t have to be colonial subjects and that they could determine their own destiny. Kenyatta was clearly a man of many talents. Not only was he a very charming individual, but was very articulate too. This fact made him a formidable politician, because he always commanded the attention of his audiences. He was also a journalist, but more importantly provided the father figure that Kenya desperately needed. As a journalist, he launched Muigwithania, the first indigenous newspaper to voice Kenyan demands to the colonial government and sensitizes the public on their rights. As a scholar, he wrote the first serious study about his people, Facing Mount Kenya. As a biographer, Kenyatta documented in the book Suffering Without Bitterness, the poignant memories of fighting against the colonial government that knew no restraint. What Mzee accomplished was monumental, but what makes more mind-boggling is the time period in which he did it. His achievements are ranked alongside those of other outstanding black nationalists like Kwame Nkurumah, Nelson Mandela and Marcus Garvey. Kenyatta’s early life Jomo Kenyatta was born Kamau wa Ngegi sometime between1889 and 1895 to Muigai and Wambui of the Magana clan in Ichaweri village