Soil that sucked Dedan Kimathi's blood remains barren

There have been attempts to plant tea bushes and trees on the bare section but nothing grows

A colonial homeguard shot and wounded Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi after they ambushed him in the morning hour. However, the spot onto which his blood dripped into the ground never became productive.

Kimathi had been spotted before midnight while in camouflaging attire attending a Cinema show at Kahiga-ini village in Tetu, Nyeri hosted by Catholic Priests. He was fond of sneaking out of the forest to meet friends as well gather information about colonialists.

Kimathi was shot while he was crossing a ditch that had been sunk to deter contact between the Mau Mau fighters and villagers.

Meshack Wang'ombe who was 18-years-old then recalls the incident. "We had spotted Kimathi earlier at the cinema show and when it was over he slipped back into the forest. We heard gunshots in the morning only to rush to the scene to find homeguards and white police officers surrounding a bleeding Kimathi" recalls Wang'ombe.

Wang'ombe and his village-mate Samuel Mugenda, then a 24-year-old man were ordered to make a stretcher and carry Kimathi up the slope. The spot he was positioned and let to bleed as plans were being made to whisk him away has remained barren to-date.

Wang'ombe says since the forest was cleared to pave way Nyayo tea in mid 1980s, that particular section has remained bare.

"It is believed this was a sign of his blood weeping for his nation and generations to come. There have been attempts to plant tea bushes and trees on the bare section but nothing grows" says Mugenda.

Early this year during the commemoration of 60th anniversary since Kimathi was hanged by British on February 18, 1957 a historic monument was unveiled near the barren spot.