MAUMAU GENERAL'S GRAND RETURN?

47 years after his disappearance, the country rejoiced at the alleged return of the former Maumau General, Stanley Mathenge. He had been invited by the then President Mwai Kibaki who had been sworn into power a few months prior after a journalist had claimed to have found the former guerrilla still in exile in Ethiopia. The new Kibaki regime had signaled a new era of hope and although Mathenge’s return was perceived as yet another good omen, it deteriorated into an embarrassing scandal after the man claiming to be Mathenge turned out to be an Ethiopian farmer.

A veteran journalist by the name Joseph Karimi, writing for The Standard at the time divulged to some top MPs that he had found the long-lost General Stanley Mathenge. The last time Mathenge had been accounted for was in early 1956, having seemingly disappeared. Of the many stories that had explained his disappearance the one that most seemed to believe was that he had crossed into Ethiopia with a few insurgents from his battalion, the ITUMA Ndemi army. With this in mind, it made sense when Joseph Karimi made his discovery public and the news was welcomed with joy and jubilation. As one of the top-cream leaders, of the Maumau, it was akin to Kimathi rising from the grave- a comparison made by Subukia MP Koigi Wamwere.

Thus, it was announced that on May 30th 2003, General Mathenge would be flown into the country and would be a special guest at the 40th Madaraka Day celebrations. On that auspicious day, young and old gathered at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to welcome and catch a glimpse of the long-lost hero. Forgotten Maumau songs were sung as aging Maumau veterans like Gitu wa Kahengeri shed tears upon beholding their General. Though he had brought a whole family with him from Ethiopia, Mathenge’s wife, Muthoni (81 years old at the time) was there as well uncontrollable with joy at the return of her husband.

Many politicians including Paul Ngei, Koigi Wamwere and Jane Kihara cosigned the returnee meeting him at the airport. Arrangements had been made for his stay at the Panafric Hotel at taxpayer’s expense but it made little matter as no luxury could be spared for a war hero!

A few things were amiss. Firstly, the aged man could speak neither Kikuyu nor Kiswahili. Kikuyu being his mother tongue and the language he had spoke leading the forest fighters, it didn’t make any sense that he did not speak a word of it. Further, he had the look of an Ethiopian lacking the basic facial features and hair texture that would be expected from a Kikuyu. He also happened to be about 10 years younger than Mathenge would have been in 2003. As it were, doubts had began even before the man got on the plane from Ethiopia.

Upon reporting his discovery to his superiors in The Standard, The Standard Group sponsored a journey at Karimi’s instigation where he was accompanied by Mirungi, Mathenge’s son. Mirungi says he ‘left without a doubt that that man was not [his] father’. An adamant Karimi, insisted on a second trip. His logic was that Mirungi was too young by the time his father fled to the forest making it unlikely for him to recognise Mathenge. To remedy this, he was accompanied by Mathenge’s wife, two brothers and a veteran who would identify Mathenge. Somehow, he passed this test and was ready to be received in Nairobi.

After the charade at the Airport, the MPs who were not satisfied like Gatundu MP Patrick Muiruri tabled their doubts in Parliament. Even the President, Mwai Kibaki, had his doubts. Moody Awori sanctioned a DNA Test to be conducted and the truth came to light. The returned General Mathenge was not at all related to his supposed children and was infact, an imposter.

So what really happened to General Stanley Mathenge? Read all about it on the Hinges of Time blog here