[532] Despite portraying himself as a Christian, he found the attitudes of many European missionaries intolerable, in particular their readiness to see everything African as evil. [294] On 1June 1963, Kenyatta was sworn in as prime minister of the autonomous Kenyan government. [480] When in power, Kenyatta displayed a preoccupation with individual and mbari land rights that were at odds with any socialist-oriented collectivisation. (1951-1978) children: Anna Nyokabi, Christine Wambui, Jane Wambui, Margaret Kenyatta, Uhuru Kenyatta Presidents Black Leaders Died on: August 22, 1978 He reassured them that they would be safe and welcome in an independent Kenya, and more broadly talked of forgiving and forgetting the conflicts of the past. [196] He also insisted that in an independent Kenya, all racial groups would be safeguarded. (1919-), Grace Wanjikum. [295] Kenya remained a monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. Alternate titles: Johnstone Kamau, Kamau, son of Ngengi. [477] According to Murray-Brown, Kenyatta's "basic philosophy" throughout his life was that "all men deserved the right to develop peacefully according to their own wishes". Famed Kenyan revolutionary leader and first President Jomo Kenyatta (pictured) remains an . [393], Facing the pressures of the Cold War,[394] Kenyatta officially pursued a policy of "positive non-alignment". [125] This angered Ross and contributed to the breakdown of their friendship. Jomo Kenyatta and his beautiful wife, Fiona Ngobi Achola have been the most talked-about family simply because they are linked to President Kenyatta. [452] On 22 August 1978, he died of a heart attack in the State House, Mombasa. His son Peter Muigai became an assistant minister of foreign affairs, and his cousin Ngethe Njoroge served as high commissioner to the United Kingdom. [6][7], Kenyatta married his third wife, Grace Wanjiku, in 1946. [127] Kenyatta socialised at the Student Movement House in Russell Square, which he had joined in the spring of 1934,[128] and befriended Africans in the city. Jomo Kenyatta. Children of Jomo Kenyatta and Grace Wahu Peter Muigai Kenyatta 1920 Margaret Wambui Kenyatta 1928 Son of Jomo Kenyatta and Edna Grace Clarke Peter Magana Kenyatta 1943 Daughter of Jomo Kenyatta and Grace Wanjiku Jane Wambui Kenyatta 1950 Children of Jomo Kenyatta and Ngina Muhoho Christine Wambui Kenyatta 1952 Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta 1961 Margaret served as mayor of Nairobi between 1970 and 1976 and then as Kenya's ambassador to the United Nations from 1976 to 1986. [71], Kenyatta developed contacts with radicals to the left of the Labour Party, including several communists. At the meeting, Kenyatta raised the land issue and Thuku's exile, the atmosphere between the two being friendly. [236] Internal calls for his release came from Kenyan Asian activists in the Kenya Indian Congress,[249] while a colonial government commissioned poll revealed that most of Kenya's indigenous Africans wanted this outcome. They are remembered both for making the dream of African independence a reality and for their invention of postcolonial authoritarianism. Jomo Kenyatta was born Kamau Ngengi in what was then British East Africa sometime in the mid-1890s. JomoKenyatta.com aims to preserve the life of Kenya's founding father, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. About this time he married and began to raise a family. View M7 Portfolio (final draft).. (1).docx from ARTS AND H SOCI 202 at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. The former head of the Presidential Press Service, Lee Njiru, details the chaos and plunder in Jomo Kenyatta's reign, recounts the day when the president slashed him with a sword and the comically tragic power struggles at State House in his book, "President's Press Man". [241] The Governor of Kenya, Patrick Muir Renison, insisted that it was necessary; in a March 1961 speech, he described Kenyatta an "African leader to darkness and death" and stated that if he were released, violence would erupt. [26], Kenyatta moved to Thika, where he worked for an engineering firm run by the Briton John Cook. [89] In Britain, he spent the summer attending an Independent Labour Party summer school and Fabian Society gatherings. And so, surveyed closely, Jomo Kenyatta had more advantages than his fellow Kapenguria Six inmates. Africa 24", Jomo Kenyatta and his second wife Edna Clarke, So you think you know everything about Jomo Kenyatta?. [105] Both Padmore and Kenyatta left the Soviet Union, the latter returning to London in August 1933. [70] In spite of this, following the meeting, Grigg convinced Special Branch to monitor Kenyatta. Jomo Kenyatta [a] CGH ( c. 1897 - 22 August 1978) was a Kenyan anti- colonial activist and politician who governed Kenya as its Prime Minister from 1963 to 1964 and then as its first President from 1964 to his death in 1978. She is the best known due to her role as First Lady, was Ngina Kenyatta (ne Muhoho), also known as Mama Ngina. Kenyatta's son Uhuru later also became president. [59] Its purpose was to help unify the Kikuyu and raise funds for the KCA. The second thing is that nobody is regarded as a slave, everyone is free to do what he or she likes without being hindered. [112] In these, he took a more radical position than he had in the past, calling for complete self-rule in Kenya. The commission decided to offer compensation for some appropriated territories but maintained the white highlands policy, which restricted the Kikuyu to overcrowded reserves. He adopted the name of Jomo Kenyatta taking his first name from the Kikuyu word for "burning spear" and his last name from the masai word for the bead belt that he often wore.[2]. [166] Kenyatta spoke at the conference, although made no particular impact on the proceedings. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In 1925 the EAA disbanded as a result of government pressures, and its members re-formed as the Kikuyu Central Association (KCA). [293] KANU was victorious with 83 seats out of 124 in the House of Representatives;[280] a KANU majority government replaced the pre-existing coalition. First Wife and Children of Kenyatta The first wife to President Jomo Kenyatta, Grace Wahu was married in 1919 and on 20 November 1922, the very first child of Mzee Jomo was born. [153] Kenyatta remained there for the duration of the war, renting a flat and a small plot of land to grow vegetables and raise chickens. [336] Support was given to the preservation of historic and cultural monuments, while street names referencing colonial figures were renamed and symbols of colonialismlike the statue of British settler Hugh Cholmondeley, 3rd Baron Delamere in Nairobi city centrewere removed. This is the first of a four-part series. [402] Kenyatta also maintained a warm relationship with Israel, including when other East African nations endorsed Arab hostility to the state;[403] he for instance permitted Israeli jets to refuel in Kenya on their way back from the Entebbe raid. [208] Many white settlers wanted him exiled, but the government feared this would turn him into a martyr for the anti-colonialist cause. [425] In October 1969, Kenyatta visited Kisumu, located in Luo territory, to open a hospital. [72] There is no evidence that he joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union,[100] and one of his fellow students later characterised him as "the biggest reactionary I have ever met. Early life I believe in Christianity as a whole. Born into the dominant Kikuyu culture, Kenyatta became its most famous interpreter of Kikuyu traditions through his book Facing Mount Kenya. [271], Kenyatta traveled elsewhere in Africa, visiting Tanganyika in October 1961 and Ethiopia in November at the invitation of their governments. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [317] Two of the senior members of KADU, Ronald Ngala and Daniel arap Moi, subsequently became some of Kenyatta's most loyal supporters. [382] Their report set out the long-term goal of universal free primary education in Kenya but argued that the government's emphasis should be on secondary and higher education to facilitate the training of indigenous African personnel to take over the civil service and other jobs requiring such an education. In 1947, he was elected President of the Kenya African Union, through which he lobbied for independence from British colonial rule, attracting widespread indigenous support but animosity from white settlers. [61] He also praised the British Empire, stating that: "The first thing [about the Empire] is that all people are governed justly, big or smallequally. [304] Despite his attempts at wooing white support, he did not do the same with the Indian minority. [286] Kenyatta accepted a minor position, that of the Minister of State for Constitutional Affairs and Economic Planning. His children included President Uhuru Kenyatta, by his fourth and. A 2014 New World Wealth report which revealed the wealthiest families in Kenya ranked the Kenyatta family among centimillionaires with fortunes worth between $100 million (KSh 11 billion and $ 1 billion (KSh 110.5 . [355] During the 1970s, this expanded to cover the trade in soap, cement, and textiles. [144], The book's jacket cover featured an image of Kenyatta in traditional dress, wearing a skin cloak over one shoulder and carrying a spear. [122] In it, Kenyatta challenged the Eurocentric view of history by presenting an image of a golden African past by emphasising the perceived order, virtue, and self-sufficiency of Kikuyu society. [134] Kenyatta began giving anti-colonial lectures across Britain for groups like the IASB, the Workers' Educational Association, Indian National Congress of Great Britain, and the League of Coloured Peoples. [306], Murray-Brown noted that Kenyatta had the ability to "appear all things to all men",[186] also displaying a "consummate ability to keep his true purposes and abilities to himself", for instance concealing his connections with communists and the Soviet Union both from members of the British Labour Party and from Kikuyu figures at home. President Jomo Kenyatta and his flower gardens . [152] On 11 May 1942 he married an English woman, Edna Grace Clarke, at Chanctonbury Registry Office. [506] One of Kenyatta's fellow LSE students, Elspeth Huxley, referred to him as "a showman to his finger tips; jovial, a good companion, shrewd, fluent, quick, devious, subtle, [and] flesh-pot loving". [233] In 1955, the British writer Montagu Slatera socialist sympathetic to Kenyatta's plightreleased The Trial of Jomo Kenyatta, a book which raised the profile of the case. But his reign faced dark shadows when three prominent pol. And, like many others, Kamau soon left the mission life for the urban attractions of Nairobi. [41] He earned 250/= (12/10/, equivalent to 726 in 2021) a month, a particularly high wage for a native African, which brought him financial independence and a growing sense of self-confidence. [480] Similarly, Assensoh noted that Kenyatta was "not interested in social philosophies and slogans". [260], Renison decided to release Kenyatta before Kenya achieved independence. Nick Name: Mzee Jomo Kenyatta Also Known As: Kamau wa Muigai Died At Age: 84 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Edna Clarkem. [62] Grigg's administration could not stop Kenyatta's journey but asked London's Colonial Office not to meet with him. [476] Like other anti-colonialists, he believed that under colonialism, the human and natural resources of Africa had been used not for the benefit of Africa's population but for the enrichment of the colonisers and their European homelands. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. He suggested that the British supported Kenyatta in this, seeing him as a bulwark against growing worker and peasant militancy who would ensure continued neo-colonial dominance. [467] After Kenyatta's death, the transition of power proved smooth,[466] surprising many international commentators. [542] On becoming Kenya's leader, his anti-communist positions gained favour in the West,[543] and some pro-Western governments gave him awards; in 1965 he, for instance, received medals from both Pope PaulVI and from the South Korean government. [371] Kenyatta himself expanded the land that he owned around Gatundu. Uhuru Kenyatta unsuccessfully vied for the Kenyan presidency as President Moi's preferred successor in 2002. In these, his criticism of British imperialism was far stronger than it had been in Mugwithania. [333] To this end, it made efforts to assert the dignity of indigenous African cultures which missionaries and colonial authorities had belittled as "primitive". The man who won his country's independence. He concluded by saying that the lack of these measures must inevitably result in a dangerous explosionthe one thing all sane men wish to avoid.. Born into the dominant Kikuyu culture, Kenyatta became its most famous interpreter of Kikuyu traditions through his book Facing Mount Kenya.. Born Kamau Wa Muigai at Ng'enda village, Gatundu Division, Kiambu to Muigai and Wambui, Jomo Kenyatta served as the . [188] This was made difficult by the fact that many Maasai and Luotribes traditionally hostile to the Kikuyuregarded him as an advocate of Kikuyu dominance. Wen gl . In 1919, Jomo Kenyatta met and married his first wife Grace Wahu, according to Kikuyu tradition. [193] At its 1951 AGM, more militant African nationalists had taken senior positions and the party officially announced its call for Kenyan independence within three years. [520] Murray-Brown characterized Kenyatta as an "affectionate father" to his children, but one who was frequently absent. [389] This put a severe strain on social services; Kenyatta's government promoted family planning projects to stem the birth-rate, but these had little success. At some point, he took to calling himself "Kinyata" or "Kenyatta" after this garment. [395] In 1964, Kenya and the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding, one of only two military alliances Kenyatta's government made;[395] the British Special Air Service trained Kenyatta's own bodyguards. [376] No strikes could be legally carried out in Kenya without COT's permission. His annual memorial is marked this week, but was turned into a family only affair last year. [353] To this end it emphasised social welfare schemes over traditional industrial institutions,[353] and in 1965 transformed the Kenya Federation of Labour into the Central Organization of Trade (COT), a body which came under strong government influence. Her husband was arrested just one year into their marriage in reaction to the Mau Mau insurgency, leaving her alone. [392] In December he attended a meeting with Tanzanian and Ugandan representatives to form the East African Economic Community, reflecting Kenyatta's cautious approach toward regional integration. Over the course of his studies, Kenyatta and Malinowski became close friends. [57] The trio discussed the possibility of merging their three nations (plus Zanzibar) into a single East African Federation, agreeing that this would be accomplished by the end of the year. [10] It was there that she died, and Kenyattawho was very fond of the younger Muigaitravelled to collect his infant half-brother. [288] MacDonald and Kenyatta developed a strong friendship;[289] the Briton referred to the latter as "the wisest and perhaps strongest as well as most popular potential Prime Minister of the independent nation to be". [189], To attract support from Kenya's Indian community, he made contact with Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of the new Indian republic. Jomo Kenyatta was the first prime minister (1963-64) and afterwards the first president of independent Kenya (1964-78). [240] Berman and Lonsdale described his life as being preoccupied with "a search for the reconciliation of the Western modernity he embraced and an equally valued Kikuyuness he could not discard". The children were not spared. Kenyatta died in office and was succeeded by Daniel arap Moi. [179] It was also beset with problems, including a decline in standards and teachers' strikes over non-payment of wages. [541] As noted by Arnold, "no figure in the whole of British Africa, with the possible exception of [Nkrumah], excited among the settlers and the colonial authorities alike so many expressions of anger, denigration and fury as did Kenyatta. [457] Thenceforth, when the president spoke to crowds, they no longer applauded his statements. [385], Another priority for Kenyatta's government was improving access to healthcare services. [473], "Kenyatta possessed the common touch and great leadership qualities. Husband of Ann Wanyoro Muigai; Private; Private; Esther Njoki Muigai; Private and 1 other. "[486] He welcomed white support for his cause, so long as it was generous and unconditional, and spoke of a Kenya in which indigenous Africans, Europeans, Arabs, and Indians could all regard themselves as Kenyans, working and living alongside each other peacefully. Entry into Politics. [20], Kenyatta's academic progress was unremarkable, and in July 1912 he became an apprentice to the mission's carpenter. Related searches: president of kenya uhuru kenyatta nairobi nelson mandela independence day of 21 NEXT At Chanctonbury Registry Office, Renison decided to offer compensation for some appropriated territories maintained. Only affair last year [ 71 ], `` Kenyatta possessed the common touch and great leadership qualities ] was! 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