Dedan Kimathi
1920 – 1957 Kenyan Mau Mau field marshal, forest fighter
The best-known leader of the Mau Mau forest fighters, captured in 1956 and executed in 1957.
- Affiliations
- Kenya Land and Freedom Army
Dedan Kimathi Waciuri, a Kikuyu from Tetu in Nyeri, became the most famous commander of the forest fighters during the Mau Mau uprising and tried to build a unified forest command. Historians debate how far his authority actually reached, as the movement was fragmented and rival leaders challenged him. He was captured by colonial forces in October 1956, tried, and hanged in February 1957. He has since become a central symbol of the independence struggle, though his remains have never been found.
Connections
- associate of Musa Mwariama — Fellow Mau Mau field marshal.
- rival of Stanley Mathenge — Contested leadership of the forest fighters with Kimathi.
- rival of Stanley Mathenge — Rival forest leader who disputed Kimathi's claim to overall command.
- associate of Waruhiu Itote — Fellow senior Mau Mau forest commander.
In the timeline
- 1920 Dedan Kimathi born in Nyeri District central figure
- 1953 The Forest Fighters and Dedan Kimathi commander of the forest fighters
- 1953 Forest oaths and higher grades mentioned
- 1954 Colonial government distributes flyers hunting Kimathi mentioned
- 1954 Muthoni wa Kirima rises to field marshal mentioned
- 1956 Dedan Kimathi Captured and Executed the captured and executed leader
- 1956 Kimathi's capture ends the military phase mentioned
- 1957 Dedan Kimathi executed by hanging central figure
- 1957 Dedan Kimathi, field marshal of the forest fighters central figure
- 1971 Kenyatta lays cornerstone of the Dedan Kimathi Memorial Library central figure
- 2003 Mau Mau in Kenyan Memory mentioned
- 2007 Kimathi Honored in Bronze the honoured martyr