Kimathi statue for Jamhuri day.

10 Dec, 2006

The foundation stone of a statue of Mau Mau freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi is to be laid in Nairobi as part of events to mark Jamhuri or independence day (Jamhuri means republic in Kiswahili) on 12 December, The Nation newspaper reports. The memorial is to stand at the Corner House/Hilton Hotel triangle on Kimathi Street in the city centre and will be erected by Kenyatta University, Kenyas second largest higher education institution. It will be a two-metre high bronze and will display the famous Mau Mau dreadlocks and home-made gun and sword carried by Kimathi, who was arrested by the British colonial government in 1956 and hanged on terrorist charges on 18 February 1957. Jamhuri day is often associated with the Mau Mau leader who is seen by many Kenyans as the person who led the country towards independence.