The government, on Saturday, June 3, launched a consensus to track Mau Mau fighters and their descendants in plans to establish a proper register and compensation scheme.
Mau Mau veterans, the government stated, lived in deplorable conditions despite fighting for the country's liberation 60 years ago.
According to Njogu Githinji, a member of the Kikuyu Council of Elders, impersonators disguised themselves as freedom fighters. Hence made it difficult for the government to roll out its compensation plan.
"Many people call themselves Mau Mau, but we are very few. Not everyone who calls himself a Mau Mau is one," Githinji stated while addressing the press in Nyeri.
He questioned why over seven groups were registered as Mau Mau fighters in Nyeri County alone, with a membership of more than 5,000 veterans - wondering whether all groups fought for the country's independence.
Wambui Mwangi, a curator at Nyeri Museum, further lamented that it was difficult to differentiate the two groups in government meetings.
"They refer to themselves as Mau Mau. We have other groups which have stood firm and don't want to associate themselves with the other," she stated.
"Most of these people claiming to be Mau Mau are not the real ones. They are sons, daughters of the veterans, advising the need to have the census for government to acknowledge and compensate them."
The veterans sought compensation from the British and Kenyan governments, with President William Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, promising to fight for their rights.
On May 13, during the burial of Mau Mau veteran and Dedan Kimathi's wife, Mukami Kimathi, in Nyandarua County, Gachagua implored Ruto to coordinate with the British government to allow for the exhumation of the remains of Mau Mau fighter Dedan Kimathi.
He added that Mukami Kimathi had pleaded with the government to give his husband a better send-off.
"We urge you, with all respect, to listen to the cry of the elders. These men say they know where Dedan Kimathi was buried. If you agree, let them show us where the grave is so we can bury him better," Gachagua stated, with Ruto promising to look into it.
However, the rise of splinter Mau Mau groups threatens the compensation plan, with former Mungiki sect leader, Maina Njenga and Gachagua trading salvos and claiming to be the real freedom fighters.
Njenga's house was raided a day before Mukami Kimathi's burial, with the former Mungiki leader converted to a pastor, accusing the government of a witchhunt. He, however, accompanied Azimio La Umoja leader, Raila Odinga to the funeral, with the latter publicly confronting Ruto and his deputy.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, in his response, vowed to deal with outlawed gangs, including the Mungiki sect, which he claimed were resurging.
Njenga was arrested in May 2023, arraigned and charged with 12 offences, including being a member of an outlaw gang as well as six charges of engaging in organised criminal activities.
Other charges involved possession of firearms and ammunition. The arrest and subsequent charging had caused an uproar from Njenga's supporters, who pitched camp outside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters along Kiambu Road and engaged police in running battles before order was restored.
Uhuru Accused
Gachagua later claimed that former President Uhuru Kenyatta was behind the return of the outlawed sect.
"What do you want in this country? You occupied the highest position in this country. What else do you want? You are the richest man in this country, you own this country - including us - what else do you want? You tell these children to go and fight the police to be killed. What is this kind of treachery you're doing to them?" Gachagua alleged.
While addressing the matter, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki pledged to deal with anyone who propagated crime regardless of their status and ranking.
“Whether there is any evidence linking the former president to crime, I cannot comment on that. I will respond as follows; any person who is involved in encouraging crime, it doesn’t matter their rank in society, they have a date with me and my officers,” Kindiki stated on May 31, 2023.
Uhuru has yet to respond to the allegations. However, in his last public appearance at Jubilee Party's National Delegates Conference (NDC) at Ngong Racecourse, he asked the government and his critics to preach peace.
He also accused unidentified power brokers of raiding his Northlands City family property to threaten him into retirement.
