Dedan Kimathi, the leader of the Mau Mau uprising against British colonial rule in Kenya, was executed by hanging on February 18, 1957 at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.
His exact last words were not officially recorded by colonial authorities, but accounts from people close to him and oral history suggest that he remained defiant and resolute in his beliefs until the end.
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One of the most widely attributed last statements (though not verbatim or officially documented) is:
“I HAVE NO REGRET IN DYING FOR MY COUNTRY. I HAVE NO REGRET IN HAVING TAKEN THE PATH OF ARMED RESISTANCE.”
This reflects his unwavering commitment to the cause of Kenyan independence and his refusal to renounce the struggle for liberation, even when offered a chance to appeal for clemency if he denounced the Mau Mau.
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Kimathi is remembered as a martyr and national hero in Kenya, and his execution marked a turning point in the eventual collapse of British colonial rule in Kenya.
Dedan Kimathi Waciuri was a pivotal figure in Kenya’s struggle for independence from British colonial rule.
Here’s a concise profile of his life and legacy:
Dedan Kimathi (1920 – February 18, 1957)
Role:
Leader of the Mau Mau Uprising, a militant nationalist movement that fought for land and freedom in colonial Kenya during the 1950s.
Background:
- Born in Nyeri in Kenya’s central highlands.
- Worked as a teacher and clerk before joining the anti-colonial struggle.
- Became a senior leader in the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA)—the military wing of the Mau Mau.
Beliefs & Leadership:
- Advocated for armed resistance against British colonial authorities, especially over land dispossession and political exclusion.
- Known for his charisma, military strategy, and strict codes of conduct among fighters in the forest.
- Wore a distinctive leopard skin outfit—an image now iconic in Kenyan history.
Capture & Execution:
- Captured by colonial forces on October 21, 1956, in the forest near Nyeri, wounded and betrayed by an informant.
- Tried and sentenced to death for unlawful possession of a firearm.
- Executed by hanging at Kamiti Maximum Prison on February 18, 1957.
Last Words (reported):
Though not officially recorded, Kimathi is believed to have said:
“MY BLOOD WILL WATER THE TREE OF INDEPENDENCE.”
OR
“I HAVE NO REGRETS… MY ONLY REGRET IS THAT I WILL NOT LIVE TO SEE THE FREEDOM FOR WHICH I AM FIGHTING.”
Legacy:
Hailed as a hero and martyr after independence in 1963.
A statue of Dedan Kimathi was erected in Nairobi in 2007.
His grave at Kamiti remains unmarked; locating and honoring it has been a national issue.
