Col. Tarsision Waweru Kihia had taken the oath in 1949. Col. Kihia was working in Nairobi when the State of Emergency was declared. All hell broke loose for all the young Kikuyu, Embu and Meru young men. Many of them opted to join the ranks of the fighters in the forest because the alternative was sure arrest and detention. To go the forest, they would travel in groups of 50 or so, led by a guide who knew the way to Nyandarua forest. It used to take a few hours. The young men were so keen on going to war that some would cry if were left in Nairobi. He says categorically that Jomo Kenyatta was not only fully aware of Mau Mau but had given his blessings to Gen Mathenge Mirugi. He says he knows this for sure because he was one of the guards keeping vigil on the day when Kenyatta was meeting with Mathenge and others and giving his blessings for the war to commence. He gives details of where and how they used to meet in Nairobi. They meetings were disguised as prayers. Each person would arrive to the venue alone, then Kenyatta would appear. In these meetings, which commenced soon after Kenyatta arrived from England in 1946, Kenyatta together with other leaders, planned the war, and decided who would be in charge of what areas (commands). To motivate the fighters, a book full of war songs had been published by one Gakaara Wanjau, and all young men learnt these songs by heart. Those who were found singing the nationalists songs were arrested and sent to detention. He explains how they would pass through areas where the likes of Gen Ihura and Gen Kago were in charge. They would then be handed over to the guides who take them to the forest. He mentions all the famous generals by name and where they each came from. He also describes several battles that he took part in. In one battle, 17 white British soldiers were killed. He also says that some patriotic home guards used to still bullets and give them to the Mau Mau fighters in the forest.
14 окт 2024
