Jomo Kenyatta

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JOMO KENYATTA
Jomo Kenyatta was his name. He was born in British East Africa (now Kenya). He went to school in the Church of Scotland mission. After school he went to Britain and wrote articles in London’s newspapers. He then returned to Kenya in 1930. He formed the Pan-African Federation. In 1947 he became the president of the Kenyan African union; after that he began to get threats from British settlers.

He was arrested in 1952 of managing and being a member of Mau Mau (an organization which rebelled against the British who were colonizing Kenya). He was sentenced to hard labor and after that was sent into exile in the most remote area in Kenya. (These charges were later proved to be false) In 1960 Kenyatta was elected the president of K.A.N.U in absentia. On June 1st Kenyatta became the first prime minister of the autonomous Kenyan government and was known as mzee (elder). At this state he asked the British not to leave Kenya but to reconcile with the Kenyans. He retained the role of prime minister after independence was declared on the 12th of December 1963.

On 12th December, Kenya became a republic, with Kenyatta as the executive president. Jomo Kenyatta is significant in my life and in many Kenyans' because he fought for our independence and our freedom. One of the famous quotes he was heard saying was, "I have no intention of retaliating or looking backwards. We are going to forget the past and look forward to the future."