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John Kareithi once chained himself to his grandfather’s
statue
Mau Mau freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi’s grandson who once chained himself to his grandfather’s statue is at it again.
John Kareithi now wants President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government to help him get a passport to enable him travel to Germany.
“I spent time and money campaigning for Uhuru in 2013. Last year, I was involved in an accident during the Mathare by-election campaigns, during which I broke my leg. I also played an active role in the by-elections where I rallied behind Jubilee,” says Kareithi who wants to get into export business to save his family.
Last year on June 9, Kareithi chained himself to the statue of Dedan Kimathi along Kimathi Street. It took the intervention of his grandmother Mukami, the wife to the veteran freedom fighter, to convince Kareithi to remove the chains.
“I was unhappy with the way our family has been abandoned for years. Our grandfather sacrificed for this nation, but today, we have nothing to show for it,” he claimed.
A year later, Kareithi visited the statue on the night of July 26 and spent over four hours at the site, circling the statue while praising his late grandfather until past midnight. Police were unable to convince him to leave the area. “Don’t think I am crazy. Some politicians in the city claim I am mad. One of them has attempted to have me taken to a mental hospital, but I am here today to tell them to respect me and my family,” he said.
Kareithi went on to say that: “Last year, I chained myself here to urge the US president Barack Obama to come and salute my grandfather. I also wanted my team Chelsea to settle medical bills of my friend who was attacked for standing with Chelsea. Today, I am here to celebrate that. It has come true,”
Kareithi believes Obama heeded his call.
The 38-year-old who told The Nairobian that he was once a thief in the city, but quit after his cousin was allegedly killed.
He is the third-born in a family of seven and reportedly has two wives and children who depend on him.
