Mau Mau veterans disown freedom monument

A sculpture of Maumau at freedom corner in Uhuru Park. PHOTO: [BEVERLYNE MUSILI/STANDARD]

Mau Mau War Veterans Association has disowned the Mau Mau memorial monument unveiled at freedom corner at Uhuru Park.

The veterans said the monument did not accurately portray the history or the sacrifices made in the struggle for independence.

Association Secretary General Mwai Muthigi said they were not involved in the design or the preparation of the monument therefore the information on the plaque was distorted.

"It is very disappointing to hear that the monument is to commemorate the independence struggle yet the message being portrayed has nothing to do with the heroes and heroines of the Mau Mau movement," he said.

He insisted that other countries had fought for independence and they did not involve the nations that colonised them when writing the history of the struggle. The veterans dismissed the monument which was unveiled on September 12 because the planning design and facilitation was provided by the British government in consultation with the Kenya Human Rights Commission.

"The idea is to reconcile the independent Kenya with her former colonial master Britain. However, it is Britain that declared war on Kenyans who demanded their freedom and human rights," Muthigi observed.

glorified facilitators

Association Chairman Elijah Kinyua popularly known as General Bahati insisted that the plaques were not about the known freedom fighters but mainly glorified the facilitators.

"Kenyans must write their own history correctly and we protest the fact that British High Commissioner Christian Turner was there during the unveiling because it was not about his nation, it was about our country's heroes," Mr Bahati said.

The veterans said they would ensure that the 10 acres given to the Mau Mau memorial at Uhuru Gardens accurately portrayed the history of the war for independence.

"We want the youth to be proud of the bravery of the heros and heroines of the Mau Mau struggle," Muthigi said.