During an interview with the Standard in April 2014, Mau Mau War Veterans Association Secretary General Gitu Kahengeri revealed how liberation struggle fighters were sidelined and forgotten until President Mwai Kibaki came to power in 2003.
Kahengeri noted that it was Kibaki that lifted the ban on Mau Mau paving the way for the formation of Mau Mau War Veterans Association.He painfully narrated how the fruits of liberation are today being enjoyed by the colonialists' sympathizers and their children while independence fighters and their families live in abject poverty.“You see, the home guards and apologists, including colonial chiefs who arrested us and mercilessly beat us up in detention camps, were the ones awarded with tracts of land and lucrative jobs for their children who were well disposed to receive a good education. Their children were the future DOs, DCs, PCs and permanent secretaries," Kahengeri told the Standard.And if you think Kahengeri was bitter for nothing, here is a classic example of what he may have had in mind when he uttered those words.Senior Chief Peter Gatabaki of Thakwa from Githunguri is one such man who is said to have pronounced himself to his many children that the least he expected from them was a university education.True to his word, Gatabaki's children today occupy influential positions in academia, politics, publishing, research, engineering, banking, medicine and corporate world, as reported by the Standard 2 years ago.James M Gatabaki: An architect who earned his MA from the University of Nairobi (UoN) in 1976.Kung’u Gatabaki: The former chair of the Capital Markets Authority is an economics alumnus of Legon (Ghana) and Bradford University (UK). He served with Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) group for 30 years up to 2004 as well as a director in several blue-chip companies.Milton Njehu-Gatabaki: Runs the Rainbow Family Ltd with Ruth Gatabaki in Croydon, UK. Dr Rose Gatabaki-Kamau: Was an urban researcher at UoN and was part of the team that compiled the Urban Governance Voice and Poverty in the Developing World. She died in 2000.Njeri Gatabaki- Mburu: The alumnus of Alliance Girls and a graduate civil engineer from UoN is a forensic investigator and former Kiambu County CEC for Roads, Transport, Public Works and Utilities.Mwende Gatabaki-Ndii: Served as Special advisor to the First Vice-President of Africa Development Bank (AfDB), based in Tunis. The wife of economist David Ndii was the senior most Kenyan at AfDB. The mathematics and computer science alumnus of Kenyatta University and Salford University (UK) also had stints with USAID and the UN.Janet Gatabaki-Chokwe: Wife of former Works minister and Mombasa West MP (now Changamwe), Muinga Chokwe. She died in 2011 in North Carolina.Dr Sam M Gatabaki: Real estate developer with Muga and Sagana Developers whose crown jewel is the Sh30 billion Fourways Junction estate, 500 metres from upscale Runda, Nairobi.Njehu Gatabaki : The fearless publisher of Finance magazine is former Githunguri MP.Prof Dan Gatabaki: The PhD holder in economic education from Ohio University runs the Canaan Care Home, a residential home catering for adults with special needs in North Carolina.
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