Kenya’s Best Freedom Fighter: Mekatilili wa Menza
- Aishwarya & Arushi
- Aug 23, 2020
- 2 min read
Credit to: www.rejectedprincesses.com
The British takeover in Africa is well known and recorded in every world history book. But have you heard of a woman freedom fighter in Africa? Rarely. In fact, almost unheard of. Not because they don’t exist, but because they don’t get the recognition they deserve. This article is in tribute to the unsung women hero, Kenya’s best freedom fighter: Mekatilili wa Menza.
Background and childhood
Her journey
What accomplishments did she have?
Why is she so important to the world?
Who was she?
Menza was born in a very small village in Kili County and had another sister apart from her four brothers. Her journey started from a very young age when one of her brothers was captured by a slave trader which made her want to fight for freedom.
Freedom in her country was first lost when the Imperial British East African company was established and the railway was starting to be built. The many workers that were needed were taken from the small villages and her brother was one of them. She was married and had a son but once her husband died, she had an inspiration to fight for freedom and to be a woman leader and resist the British and save her country.
Her Journey and Work
Menza struggled a lot to accomplish her goals in her country. Even after there was enforced labor on the locals and tribal systems were being torn down along with the government, Menza directly challenged the company that was trying to take people and their land in response to the overtaxing, over-regulation, and the ruining of the local economy. Mekatilili wa Menza’s specific tribe in Kenya was not well known for having political leaders, let alone woman political leaders that were powerful, but she had a voice and was able to speak because she was a widow and she kept her goals by using that and saying that she wanted to end free labor, over-taxation, and all the drama the British was causing.
Eventually her efforts were seen and she caught the attention of the British colonial supervisor Arthur and challenged and instigated him to defeat him.
Her Accomplishments
Her efforts did not go to waste and she had done such a good job of supporting her goals that Arthur the lead of the company gave up because he was not able to match up to Mekatilili wa Menza’s standards and because his country was facing problems during the first World War. In response to that, Kenya was given freedom and Menza was instated as head of the women’s council.
Impact on Future Generations
What impact does she carry? Well, until recently she was not known internationally. Although she was an African heroine, she was forgotten until recently when the Malindi District Cultural Association reinvented her as a local hero which shows that she is a woman with a very powerful story, but remains unknown because she hasn't been able to receive recognition for her work and contribution.
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