Residents of Nyeri experienced a subdued Madaraka Day celebration in 2022, with attendance significantly lower than previous years. The event, which commemorates Kenya's self-rule, drew approximately 250 participants including Mau Mau veterans, who gathered at D.E.B Muslim Primary School's playground instead of the historic Dedan Kimathi Kamukunji Grounds.
The iconic ceremony site, named after Kenya's independence figure, was unavailable due to its conversion into a hawker market. In 2020, Governor Mutahi Kahiga redirected the space to address informal trading concerns, forcing organizers to relocate the event. The last Madaraka Day celebration at the traditional venue occurred in 2019 at Narumoru stadium.
Unlike past years when county and national officials collaborated on arrangements, this year's ceremony lacked official representation. County Commissioner Mohammed Barre presided over the event, which featured minimal entertainment from an Administration Police band and PCEA Muguru Girls High School students. Attendees included mostly children who left before the five-hour event concluded, leaving many seats vacant.
Mau Mau Veterans Association Chairman Paul Ngatia criticized political manipulation of youth, stating, "Most youths in the county survive under the mercies of politicians who use them to incite violence." Barre affirmed police readiness to address violence incitement.
