The trial of Dedan Kimathi - Ngugi wa thing'o (1976)

 The trial of Dedan Kimathi - Ngugi wa thing'o (1976)- 

Written By Ngugi wa Thiong'o and Micere Githae Mugo

hey excavate a misrepresented things of kenyan history. Reconstructing it imaginatively. They are showing Dedan Kimathi as hero as there were many misinterpreted things about him by Britishers. Kimathi was the leader of armed guerrilla force which was made up of peasants and workers they called themselves the Kenya land and freedom army they were mainly born from Gekuyu tribe. Their aim was to reclaim the stolen land of Kenya. This freedom struggle was named Mau- Mau by Britishers. By naming this they were actually trying to discourage it that it is were much disoriented and deemed. 

It was in order to root out mau- mau that they have imposed the state of emergency from 1952-1960. In fact GuNgi has novels which are placed in this period. Wipe not child is a very moving novel of his at this time. This is the period the play is taking up. In their preface to the play they say that the challenge was to depict the masses in the only heroic contexts . 

Justine willice- kemaithi's biography is full of questions and contradictions. But these disonenses. can tell us about the ways in which people structure and understand the past. About the ways in which disparate ways of knowledge are put together to form history. The accounts of Kimathi's life are often gleaned from multiple sources not all of which are written. And there for biographers have also approached his life 

Kimathi - He was born in the nearer district of a place called kerinia he was raised by single mother never knew his father. Went to a primary school from age of 10. In school he became very well known for his debating skills. He could both speak and write. Finally he re- entered his old school as a teacher. He was a great believer in education. He was a very dedicated teacher for a longest teacher. Married one of his student (1948). " Dedan Kimathi was a tough teacher, my school mates and I really respect for his intellect but also feared for his insults when we didn't perform well. Between 1947-1949 he became the member of kenyan African unit . He also served as a secretary in one of the branch of party. While he is in the party he quickly rises to the rank for his debating, intellectual skills and as an organiser of movements. Mass oathing ceremony was organised by this party to encourage people to be loyal to this party

This party adopted violent practices towards Britishers. They adopted several techniques of guerrilla warfare. Tom mboteile was a British offical who was killed by the guerrilla trope. By 1952 state of emergency is declared the lot of the leaders of the party were arrested. Even innocent people were rounded up they were tortured. These were as bad as concentration camps. Any village the Britishers felt there is active or passive support for mau- mau they would round up all the locals there. Their were resentments from the locals coz the local consider them responsible for such ill treatment met out with them. Kimathi manages to escape after the first arrest he hides in Nyang Darua forest and that's where he became the most important figure of the movement. His time in the forest also became the fodder for many stories . His time in forest is best documented, the most romaticed and a greatly contested period in his life. That's where he founded the Kenya defensive council and parliament. He tried to then enforce kind of order and hierarchy amongst the scattered Mau-mau group. 

According to other historian- Derick peterson says kemaithi would often lectures hundred of rebels and would talk to them about the need to keep records. He believed this would make them or prepare them to become citizens of a future independent polity. Mau - mau's record keeping was more than a memory bank it was an imagination of a counter state , of an ordered lawful and progressive society. He refused to punish his brother which other revolutionary didn't like . 

Lonsdale- "Kimathi was often at the center of conteciouus conflict over discipline and morel order in the forest while he imposed a strict cide of prohibition and punishment in forest he drew a lot of resentment from fellow fighters when he failed to punish his own brother ( Wambararia) for certain lapses"

While he chaired meeting on the questions of women in the forest, also put down the prohibitions of sexual affairs with women. But he himself was well known for his relationships with female fighters multiple. He kept a lot of lovers. His most famous relationship was with Wanjiru Wanbago a female fighter. She was the only woman in his group rose to the rank of Colonel. 

Hugh Bennett- " in the forest the question of literacy often became a dividing line among the leadership. Kimathi openly criticised the unlettered and they inturn accused Kimathi of having been poisoned by western education and religion. 

Gugi was also born in 1938 Kenya . Hailed from the large peasant family. He began life as a peasant. He was a political activist novelist etc. Went to university in Yuganda and UK. Went on to write both novels and plays . Plays become very important for him. He performed a lot of plays for peasant and this kind of theatre was perceived as a threat by government and by post colonial government too. Was thrown into prison for 11monthd the same prison Kimathi has been in. For instigating the working man. In prison he began writing in his local language instead of English. When he was released he has to move away from Kenya as he couldn't lead a normal life there. He was seen as a problematic figure in his own country. 

Mugo- she published several books also write about the importance of African languages. That's what she worked on art and artistry. She brought out a lot of work for children through school readers she tried to respond to the African arts. She worked on mau- mau female fighters. She infact questions the way in which these women were silenced despite of the fact they had equal contribution in the revolution. Interrogating the silence of female combatants text. 

Kenya got independence in dec 1963. At that time no novel in English was published , but a decade later many english novels came out in African region.

Ngugi- "Wipe not Child "One of the Earliest writer in eng to takes the eng writing forward and to do some justice to it. 

After Britishers, National Bourgeoisie government came by Jomo Kenyatta. Africanisation of everything was done. Most of the land left behind or sold by Britishers was bought up by bourgeoisie it brought out a neo- classical colonisation. There was still audacity of land. The capital accumulated by Africans in 1960 was pretty much concentrated in political and economic centers of Kenya was largely in kekeyu tribe's hand. Because they were largely educated. A lot of them were already part of colonial elite, it appeared like a seamless move from Britishers to new bourgeoisie. They were very interested in maintaining good relationships with Britishers. During the period of transition. There was a fairly storng connection. Britishers helped them to eliminate any kind of opposition. The general attitude of new rulers of Kenya after 1963 towards Mau-mau derived from these political and economic circumstances it was at its best equivocal.it was sometimes hostile and dismissive. So when history began to be written mau- mau was painted in fairly negative light. 

Jomo Kenyatta says " we are determined to have independence in peace and we shall not allow hooligans rule Kenya we must have no hatred towards one another. Mau-mau was a disease which was eradicated and must never be remembered again. Kenyatta wanted to be remembered as the father of nation. And wanted to create this myth that it was he single handly who he played most crucial ideological role for Kenya's independence.

Ngugi- "All those who remained 'neutral'or has sold out during the years of anti imperialist struggle . Or those who has no strenuously opposed independence and transformed into instant nationalists. Whereas those who has actually fought for okuru - freedom in different ways were recorded as dubious and treacherous."

 Fiction writers who presented Mau-mau as a criminal movement-Nwangi, Mangia, Wachira: TheyTalked about kenyian National consciousness and criminalised the Mau -Mau in its very nature. 

Nyeri had been captured 21 oct 1956 captured for unlawful possession of revolver. Sentenced on 20 sep . 18 Feb 1957 - he was hanged . This is what Ngugi has to say about the play- the play is kot a reproduction of a fasical trial at nyeri it is rather an imaginative recreation and interpretation of the collective will of kenyian peasants and workers. . This is the period when Ngugi turned to Marxist writing 

In their resistense to ruthless oppression by the British rilling classes and their continued determination to resist exploitation, oppression and new forms of enslavement. 

Mugo- we were using drama specifically in order to concientize our people to new give up fight . To revive our history with them. And theirs with us to be able to answer the questions where are we now and where are we heading. This play was written as first play in the series of plays they would write. 

#14 feb

John Newsinger - "the mau mau revolt in kenya is an almost forgotten incident in British colonial history. At the time it was portrayed as a barbaric tribal response to the pressures of modernization, as a reversion to primitive superstition and as blood crazed savagery caused by the inability of the Africans to cope with the modern world. This racist caricature disguised the grimm reality of a revolt against oppression, exploitation and injustice that was to be crushed with incredible brutality and ruthlessness. The scale of the repression unleashed during the kenya emergency remains unprecedented in the history of the post war British counter insurgency campaigns." 

-Ngugi started Kamirathu theatre group which was a village based collective of peasants workers and intellectuals and came together to produce plays but unfortunately not allowed to go beyond 2 plays otherwise Govt. Came very harshly upon them bcz the plays were very critical of the contemporary context. Neo Colonial sort of situation. 

***Nicolas Brown- "The years btw 1956-1963 were when the mau mau was defeated and the British negotiated a transfer of power with very favourable terms for the settler and expatriate communities and with very little change of existing economic structures. The trial of dedanth kemathi projects a utopian possibility that is potentially the future of the present; but it does so by animating with the urgency of the present a revolutionary past whose future was far from utopia."

-As part of Kamirathu project he wrote 2 projects. 

-The plays that he wrote as part of the Kamirathu collective looked more closely at the neo colonial present. 25 years after the mau mau uprising when Ngugi engaged with the kenian theatre projects he seems to be suggesting that the new ruling classes continue to treat the landless peasants as sources of cheap labour. The plays remained as powerful reminders of how Little had changed with the end of direct european colonialism. This neo colonial situation became the settings of the plays that he wrote after the trial of dedanth kemathi which represent the present day continuation of the colonial expropriation of land

-Ngugi and Mugo s play on Dedan Kemathi is an angry response to Kenneth Watene s play simply called Dedan Kimathi. Ngugi and Mugo considered Watene s play to belong to an intellectual industry that "was busy spewing out, elaborating and documenting the same colonial myths" as imperial texts. 

*The play

-the main character woman- very powerful and resourceful. Energetic, versatile, mother, fighter. 

-Manyani- blood on human rights

-Kimathi is ascribed with certain heroic and mythical power. But the play suggests that we don't need to mystify heroic figures but the real power is in collective " unity of common people"

David Cook and Michael Okeninkee- Critics " Mythologising is not necessarily falsification selective images, events, speeches and individuals embody certain needs of people. Myths draw upon history. But writers who develop national myths are using history as of a continuing process that can help determine and shape the future. By encouraging certain possibilities in society and discouraging others. To such writers history is not static but material through which social and economic activities have created the present. The historical Kemathi is important to Ngugi and Mugo as a man whose works must be projected into the future. So there place selects facets of his life stories which can inspire an audience in action in the present. Thus his ideas and what he stood and stands for must be reinterpret by writers in terms of different circumstances of the present time. The more west questions that the play raises is that how the figure of Kimathi can made to represent the post colonial states complex relationship with its past. 

Tone of the play is very simple and fair there are grey shades as such . As a audience we are clear what we are to side with or not. 

While he is in the prison there are different sets of people luring / convince him that it will be good for Kenya and himself to accept the guilt. 

Very powerful use of biblical imagery in text

Kind of heroism which takes a lot of courage is presented through Kimathi. The play rejects institutional Christianity. 

Henderson is presenting himself as fellow colonised infront of Kimathi. (Pg 35)

Imagery of prey-predator, hunter hunted is used to present slavery and oppression. 

Second Trial

Now comes the bankers and businessmen delegates who came to tempt Kimathi for the greater stability of Kenya. This can be related to Neo - colonialism at times when businessmen were making money and poors were oppressed Ngugi was writing this play. 

Chesaine Creaunji " the African businessman who never utters a word but nods in agreement to everything that they said is obviously brought in the play to illustrate the practice of placing Africans in positions of fronting their Neo- colonial masters and the perpetuation of Neo - colonial domination in Ngugi's work. The Temptation of material wealth and it's accompanying power was one that has lured the collaborators at the time of struggle and would continue to lure their successors within the post colonial context. Clearly the victory over the commerce and high finance amounts to a moral trial. And with what Ngugi in most of his works firmly associates with the forces of evil" 

These bankers claim Kimathi for the backwardness of Kenya. That he don't understand economics and only if they will accept their crime it will bring development of Kenya. 

Indians in Ngugi's novel are seen as people who have sold their souls to the colonisers. 

Whole concept of Marxism is present in Kimathi's speech ( pg- 40) he talks about welfare of his people. No individual benifits are seen here. 

The nature of elite will change assures the bankers.

Their is rejection of institutionalised Christianity but certain religious symbols are used to mark people and their roles. 

Third Trial

The business executives and politicians try to convince him

Role of Priest is very important (pg 47) trying to convince him saying you are a policeman of Gospel.

The authors of the play take a Marxist view that Christianity and indeed any kind of religion is an opium to quite the masses about their sufferings and condition them for exploitation. Judging from the company the priest came he was an alley of exploiters who were more concerned with safeguarding the material acquisition of their colonial masters then with cultivating the spiritual values of the impoverished masses. 

The figure of Christ and his redemptive nature is very well presented in the text. 

Fourth Trial

Now it is full of torture no verbal methods now. Henderson is very angry at Kimathi (56-57 pg) 

The real face of colonisers is shown here. Their brutal ways of dealing with the colonised. Christ like image of Kimathi