Most of Kenya’s freedom fighters sacrificed their lives to fight for independence against the colonialists. They were tormented, imprisoned and others were killed.
Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was a prominent icon in the struggle for independence. In 1947, he was elected president of the Kenya African Union (KAU), a year after he had returned to the country from abroad.
This is when death threats from white settlers started coming his way.
In the early 1950s, before the state of emergency was declared, Kenyatta moved to Taita Taveta for his safety to escape being arrested by the colonial regime.
He went and hid in the Kino Caves. Here, he slept on banana leaves and covered himself with animals skins.
The caves, also known as Kenyatta Caves, are located at Mwanguwi Village a few kilometres from Wundanyi Town.
He escaped the British schemes that were determined to seize him. Other members of the Kapenguria six are also said to have hidden together with him in this place before being arrested in 1952.
They also strategized on how to fight the British rule in Kenya from this place.
In these caves, the Wataita elders and fortune tellers predicted that Kenyatta would be arrested by the British and then become a key leader of the country after his release.
They also gave him a fly whisk, to symbolize authority, which he used occasionally after he became the president.
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