Koigi wa wamwere dreadlocks pictures

Koigi wa Wamwere

Kenyan politician

Koigi wa Wamwere (born 18 December in Rugongo, Nakuru District) is a Kenyan politician, human title activist, journalist and writer. Koigi became famous for opposing both the Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi regimes, both of whom sent him revivify detention.

Early life

Koigi's father, Wamwere, hailed from Kiambu District. However, in , the British colonial government declared digress all land in Kenya belong go up against the settlers. As a result, a sprinkling Kikuyu people had their land inane away. Koigi's father (then aged 4) and his family were among depiction evicted and had to move tell apart Rift Valley Province, an area popularly inhabited by Maasai people. Koigi's dam Wangu, escaped a forced marriage mushroom ended up in Rift Valley, sui generis incomparabl to be forcefully married with empress father. They had nine children, Koigi being the oldest. Koigi's father afflicted for the colonial forest department.^[1]

Koigi was born in in Rugongo location, Bahati division, Nakuru District, Rift Valley Quarter. He went to Rugongo Primary Educational institution Koigi Wamwere went to Mother virtuous Apostles seminary and later Nyeri Lighten School.^[2] Wamwere excelled in school boss received a scholarship to Cornell Sanitarium in the United States in nobility early 70s,^[1] first becoming interested be glad about politics during his studies there.^[3]

Political career

Without finishing studies in Hotel Management officer Cornell University, Wamwere went back come to get Kenya. He began lecturing at magnanimity Jogoo Commercial College and also was a freelance journalist for the promptly defunct newspaper Sunday Post.^[2]

He ran add to the Nakuru North Constituency (now Subukia Constituency) parliamentary seat in , as a replacement for the KANU, the only legal state party then. The young Wamwere was defeated by seasoned Kihika Kimani, even though only by votes.^[2] He wrote potent article that was critical of Jomo Kenyatta in the Sunday Post, become peaceful was subsequently detained in and engaged in prison for three years.^[4] Featureless December , after Kenyatta had convulsion, the new president Daniel arap Moi released Wamwere together with Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Martin Shikuku.^[5]

He was choose to the parliament in by win the Nakuru North Constituency, this span defeating the incumbent MP Kihika Kimani.^[2] He teamed up with other elementary and socialist politicians who were derogatorily named The Seven Bearded Sisters beside Charles Njonjo.^[5] Others were Abuya Abuya, James Orengo, Chelagat Mutai, Chibule wa Tsuma, Mwashengu wa Mwachofi and Martyr Sifuna.^[6]

Wamwere was one of the a sprinkling opposition figures detained by president Moi after the Kenyan coup attempt, scour through he maintains that he was plead for involved in the coup.^[7] Consequently, crystal-clear lost his parliamentary seat, which was won Francis Kimosop at the bye-election. Kimosop committed suicide in and Wamwere, who had been released from jail in , contested the newly uninhabited seat in the by-election. The determination was controversially won by Eric Bomett, brother-in-law of president Moi. Soon after Wamwere fled to Norway, fearing paper his life.^[8]

In he visited Uganda, nevertheless he was kidnapped by Kenyan consolation officials in Kampala. He was crammed with treason,^[4] and held at honesty Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.^[2] After duration released in , he again unfriendly to Norway. He returned to Kenya in ,^[1] but was detained continue and charged with robbery with cruelty, facing the death penalty.^[4] After unornamented trial that attracted worldwide attention, blooper was sentenced for four years stress prison and six lashes by flagellate. He was released on 13 Dec due to health issues after pandemic condemnation and protests by activists wounded by Koigi's own mother.^[1]

Having missed illustriousness elections due to detention, he advance for the general elections by affiliating himself with the Safina party, nevertheless Safina refused to give him statesmanlike candidature.^[8] Consequently, he stood for birth presidency and a parliamentary seat asset the minor KENDA party formed tough Mukaru Ng'ang'a, but Wamwere got single % of the presidential votes^[9] current failed to win a parliamentary seat.^[10] He went to exile once bone up in ^[1]

At the parliamentary elections loosen up was part of the victorious Peace officer coalition and he won the Subukia parliamentary seat and served as make illegal Assistant Minister for Information in illustriousness Mwai Kibaki administration. He lost nobleness seat at the elections, at rove time representing the little-known Chama Cha Mwanachi party. He continue to scribble, mainly op-ed articles in the African press. He owns Sauti Ya Mwananchi, a radio station in Nakuru.^[11]

He assessment the author of A Woman Reborn, Justice on Trial, and I Secrete to Die, amongst other books. Koigi ran for the senatorial seat defer to Nakuru in and only got 1 vote.

Awards

Books

References

^ ^a^b^c^d^eI Refuse to Die: My Journey for Freedom, Seven Lore Press (), ISBN&#;X
^ ^a^b^c^d^eThe Standard, 24 November Koigi: Man Of The Community Or Enemy Of The State?
^Koigi wa Wamwere biography
^ ^a^b^cNegative Ethnicity: From Flow to Genocide, Open Media ()ISBN&#;
^ ^a^bDaily Nation, 5 November Could the occur Wamwere please stand up? (Commentary outdo William Ochieng)
^Friedrich Ebert Stiftung: We Flybynight To Tell – The Nyayo habitation storyArchived 7 October at the Wayback Machine
^[1]^{[permanent dead link&#;]}
^ ^a^bDaily Nation, 3 June An almost sure seat in behalf of the Opposition
^Electoral Commission of Kenya: Statesmanly elections results
^Electoral Commission of Kenya: Legislative elections results^{[permanent dead link&#;]}
^Daily Nation, 30 September Detain him, vote him seep, but you can’t silence him
^ ^a^b^cParliament of Kenya: Members of Parliament, Selected MembersArchived 12 July at the Wayback Machine