A man from Nyeri, on Wednesday evening, began a 150-kilometre walk to State House to return a gift to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
According to Daily Nation, James Ndei, a resident of Gitunduti village in Mathira, Nyeri County, partook the journey in honour of his grandparents' wishes.
In 1944, Kenya's founding president, Jomo Kenyatta, gifted his grandparents, Shadrack Gathuni and Deborah Mumbi, with a pith helmet in order for them to drum up support for the struggle of Kenya’s independence.
The helmet was a symbol of colonial rule across Africa.
Ndei recalled that Kenyatta was a regular visitor to their homestead and he would, at times, spend nights there.
His grandparents, however, opted to have the gift returned since they had not fulfilled their aspirations as freedom fighters and that they did not have anything to show for their association to Kenyatta.
“My grandparents used to tell me Kenyatta was a regular visitor to their home and even spent several nights with them as he established the African Independent Church. My grandfather was a church leader and was very close to Mzee.
“However despite the fact that Kenyatta later became the president, there is nothing to show for that association. My grandparents died poor and I feel they were betrayed hence my decision to return the helmet,” stated Ndei.
The helmet has been in the family circles for 75 years now.
An elderly resident from the area aged 100 years, Zakaria Mbogo Ributhi, confirmed Ndei's claims explaining that he witnessed the former president give out some six helmets to church leaders.
“He was a good man and he interacted with people very well, he used to sensitize us on the need to join the struggle for independence. But we are disappointed because most of us never benefited from the struggle.
“I support the return of the helmet because it is of little meaning for aspiration of those who fought for independence," conveyed Ributhi.
Ndei hopes to meet Uhuru.
