This archive report was first published on 23 June 2020.
Published on June 23, 2020, a time when many Kenyans were still grappling with the aftermath of the post-election violence, a story emerged about the Kikuyu community's struggles. The narrative, however, was not one of favoritism, but rather one of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.
History has it that when the settlers first arrived in Kenya in the early 1900s, they sought to settle in the Central Region, which was then endowed with good weather, sufficient rain, and peace. However, this meant that the local Agikuyu people were driven out or forced to work for the white settlers, who were taking over the region.
Many people from the Agikuyu community were squeezed out of their land, leading to the settlement of different areas of the country and the search for work in factories. The settler farms that emerged were characterized by huge tracts of land, enforced through laws that forced people to work on 'their' farms, mainly through forced labor, hut tax, and kipande. This led to a lack of freedom and torture, with many losing their lives and women being sexually violated.
With independence, the fight for freedom was not easy, and many Kikuyus who wanted to return to their land suffered in concentration camps set up by the British in the 1950s. Thousands of Kikuyus died in these camps, and the suffering continued even after independence.
Over 50 years later, a similar form of suffering ensued through the Kikuyu's being driven out of the land and homes during the post-election violence. Many Kikuyus were driven out, alongside other communities, but a majority of those who were killed were Kikuyus. Even before the post-election violence, the late former President Moi drove them out of a section of the Rift Valley region.
This is important to note in order to discount the notion that the community is favored above all others in the country. For instance, in the country's leadership structure, the Executive has only six out of the 44 Cabinet secretaries. The Executive has well-balanced the equation and not as thought by individuals who do not have their facts right.
When it comes to development in the interior of Central region, there is minimal development and accessibility is pathetic. Just like other communities, they have been yearning for a way to have development come closer to them. This is important as Kenyans have realized that there is no community above the other and that we all have a responsibility in ensuring work proceeds as required.
