Mary Muthoni Nyanjiru

Mary Muthoni Nyanjiru (died March 16, 1922) was a Kenyan political activist remembered largely for the manner of her death.

Background

Muthoni Nyanjiru was born in Weithaga, Murang'a, although her date or year of birth are not recorded. By 1922, she lived in Nairobi with her stepdaughter, Elizabeth Waruiru.[1] She was an associate of Harry Thuku, and was present at the time of his arrest in 1922. Thuku was a supporter of women, and many came to demonstrate and demand his release.[2] Among these were Nyanjiru and her stepdaughter, who were among the crowd who took an oath outside the prison on the evening of March 15;[3] the oath-taking was notable because traditionally women were excluded from such events.[1]

Death and Legacy

The following morning, a number of government representatives met with independence activists, including possibly Jomo Kenyatta, to discuss Thuku's future. A course of action was decided upon, and announced to the crowd; Thuku was to be tried instead of released.[3][1] This incensed many in the crowd, including Nyanjiru. She ran to the front of the crowd, lifted her dress over her head, and cried, "You take my dress and give me your trousers. You men are cowards. What are you waiting for? Our leader is in there. Let's get him."[4] The tactic, called guturamira ng’ania, was considered a serious insult among the Kikuyu, who view it as a curse to see a woman the age of one's mother naked; rarely used, it indicates that the authority of men is no longer recognized in the situation, and is considered a powerful symbol of women's defiance.[3] Many of the women present ululated their approval in response, and the crowd surged forward until the guards opened fire. Nyanjiru was among the first people killed.[4] The total number of dead is given in various sources as between twenty-eight[2] and over one hundred.[5] Nyanjiru's example continued to be spoken of by anti-colonial activists long after her death.[2]

Nyanjiru's story has been told in multiple books, and formed one of the core stories in the experimental theatre production Too Early for Birds.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Subsistence Trade Versus World Trade Gendered Class Struggle in Kenya, 1992-2002", Leigh S. Brownhill and Terisa E. Turner. Canadian Woman Studies/Les Cahiers de la Femme. 2002 Spring-Summer; 22(1):169-177.
  2. 1 2 3 Kathleen E. Sheldon (2005). Historical Dictionary of Women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5331-7.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Ageless Defiance of Muthoni Nyanjiru - Owaahh". 22 March 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Mau Mau Women". www.uoguelph.ca. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  5. ↑ Nicholas K. Githuku (9 December 2015). Mau Mau Crucible of War: Statehood, National Identity, and Politics of Postcolonial Kenya. Lexington Books. pp. 81–. ISBN 978-1-4985-0699-1.
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