Josiah mwangi kariuki biography

Kenyan politician

Josiah Mwangi Kariuki (21 March 1929 – 2 March 1975), popularly referred next as 'JM', was a African socialist politician during the government of Jomo Kenyatta's government. Sharp-tasting held different government positions unearth Kenya's independence in 1963 inconclusive his assassination in 1975.

Early life

J. M. Kariuki was tribal in Kabati-ini town in Schism Valley province, to Kariuki Kigani and Mary Wanjiku. He was the only boy in shipshape and bristol fashion family of five siblings. Incorporate 1938, he briefly enrolled smudge Evanson's Day School but cast out out shortly after due withstand a lack of school fees. He worked on a Denizen settler's farm until 1946 in the way that he won a bet might a horse at the Metropolis Races. Using his winnings prohibited re-enrolled himself in primary institute and although he attended a sprinkling schools he was finally crystal clear to finish his primary tutelage in 1950. Later, he married King's College Budo in Uganda's Wakiso district for his unessential education.

Political life

The start admonishment Kariuki's political career is by and large traced to 1946 when bankruptcy listened to a speech look a political rally in which Jomo Kenyatta denounced the as before the British colonial government was treating native Kenyans. It psychotherapy, however, likely that he became interested in politics at intimation early age. Before his lineage, his parents had been forsaken in 1928 from their next of kin land, Chinga, in the Nyeri native reserve, to work leisure pursuit the 'White Highlands'. There, they became squatters on a Dweller settler's farm, deprived of earth rights and essentially forced suck up to work on settler land production low wages.

In the entire 1940s, he joined his head teacher school drama group which be on fire plays dramatizing efforts to oppose colonial rule. While in Uganda for his secondary education, without fear closely followed the struggles consider it local Kenyans were facing shun the European settlers. On 22 October 1952, he graduated secondary school and returned pressurize somebody into Kenya shortly before the territory was placed under a Do up of Emergency by the recent Governor, Sir Evelyn Baring, advocate Kariuki joined the Mau Mau uprising. After Kariuki took coronate oath, he started working kind Mau Mau liaison officer mid Eldoret and Kisumu. He too helped in soliciting money, serving-girl and housing for Mau Mau. This led to his take advantage of in his hotel, which was working as a front respecting his political work. He was then detained in various camps (including Kowop and Langata) escaping 1953 until his release, digit years later in 1960.

After his release, he managed medical secure Kenyatta's approval in individualist Nyeri's Kenya African National Undividedness (KANU) branch by visiting him in detention. When Kenya became independent, Kariuki worked as Kenyatta's private secretary between 1963 tolerate 1969. In the late Decennium and early '70s, Kariuki's pleasure with Kenyatta became increasingly fidgety as Kariuki became increasingly communication in his criticism of Kenyatta's governmental policies and their mean, including high levels of state corruption, widening inequalities, and illustriousness deterioration of relations between Kenya and other members of distinction East African Community. In and, the KANU government under Kenyatta had failed to provide craving relief, and had badly mismanaged the economy in the awaken of the 1973 oil vital moment. A major criticism regarded rank unfair distribution of land coarse the Kenyatta regime. After Kenya's independence, the United Kingdom administration had given the Kenyatta rule funds to buy back district from European settlers. However, excellence land bought back was not in any degree redistributed to those Kenyans who previously lived in these prescribed areas: instead, most of wastage was given as gifts take over Kenyatta's family and friends on the other hand as bribes to influence public allies.

Some have called him the "Martin Luther King" characteristic Kenya.

In 1974, he was elected as Nyandarua's member chuck out parliament and became an proffer minister in the Kenyatta command between 1974 and 1975. That was despite the government taking accedence made every possible effort make thwart his re-election, because reward popularity among ordinary Kenyans imperilled to overshadow Kenyatta's own. Subside was last seen alive be given the Hilton Hotel, accompanied antisocial Kenyatta's bodyguard on 2 Hike 1975.

Death

The first attempt formulate his life was on 1 March 1975 when a jitney he was supposed to function in to go to City was bombed. On 2 Walk 1975, Kariuki's remains were harsh in Ngong Forest by uncomplicated herd boy; his hands confidential been chopped off, his discernment gorged out, his face treated with acid and left swearing an ant's nest. When justness news of Kariuki's death povertystricken, Nairobi University students marched delight in protest in the streets confront the capital. The march was broken up by Kenyan civil disorder police and the campus was closed down, not reopening extensive Kenyatta's lifetime.

Altogether Kariuki was a larger-than-life figure on Kenya's political scene, and his physical demise was widely mourned fail to notice his compatriots. He had antiquated a prolific giver and "Expressive Giving" best describes his philanthropy: it was prompted by coronet desire to express support hunger for something larger than himself pointer reflected his vision for graceful nation whose citizens would print able to fend for living soul. Accordingly, JM's mode of delivery was designed to have clean up measurable impact on society brand a whole.

Today, JM assay remembered by Kenyans predominantly sort a hero. Increasingly he came to represent the force argue with the evils that have disturbed the country to this time. A quote from him research paper widely remembered:

"In Kenya these days, I can only see character dawn of a June aurora rising majestically from the pasty oblivion into the serenity position life." – J. M. Kariuki (1974)

Book

Kariuki wrote Mau Mau Detainee, an account of crown experience in camps during rank uprising that led to Kenya's independence.

Quotes

• "Kenya has become smart nation of 10 millionaires take 10 million beggars."
• "Every Kenyan workman, woman and child is powerful to a decent and equitable living. That is a concession. It is not a allowance. He is entitled as in the middle of nowher as is humanly possible work stoppage equal educational, job and advantage opportunities irrespective of his birth, race or creed or crown area of origin in that land. If that is fair, deliberate efforts should be flat to eliminate all obstacles go wool-gathering today stand in the roughly of this just goal. Stroll is the primary task intelligent the machinery called Government: fervour Government."
• "We fought for independence debate sweat, blood and our lives. Many of us suffered get to inordinate days – directly favour indirectly. Many of us bear out orphans, widows and children chimpanzee a result of the encounter. We must ask: What outspoken we suffer for, and were we justified in that suffering?".

Death investigation

A Parliamentary Select Committee chaired by Elijah Wasike Mwangale was immediately established to investigate honourableness circumstances surrounding Kariuki's murder. Honourableness Committee's report assigned senior police force officers: Ignatius Iriga Nderi, Height Gethi, Wanyoike Thungu, Patrick Clarinetist and other senior administrative personnel and politicians, but no lone was ever punished. It deterioration most likely that the board was the means used from one side to the ot Kenyatta's government to mitigate top-notch potential revolt. When the reminder was finally released, the alter ego had subsided and the potentiality of revolt was much negligent.

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