NYANDARUA, Kenya – Kiambati wa Njora, believed to be the last surviving general of the Mau Mau uprising that fought British colonial rule, has died at the age of 106.
Family members said Kiambati passed away peacefully on Tuesday at his home in Ngorika, Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, after a long life that spanned Kenya’s struggle for independence and the post-colonial era. His son, Maina Kiambati, confirmed that the veteran died of old age.
Following his death, the family transferred his body to Umash Funeral Home in Nakuru, where burial arrangements are underway.
Kiambati was among a small group of Mau Mau commanders whose guerrilla operations were concentrated in Nyandarua, a key battleground during the armed resistance against British colonial administration in the 1950s.
He was widely regarded as the last surviving member of the 12 Mau Mau generals who coordinated the rebellion that ultimately hastened Kenya’s path to independence.
In his later years, Kiambati emerged as a vocal advocate for forgotten freedom fighters, frequently speaking out about the hardships faced by Mau Mau veterans, many of whom lived in poverty despite their role in securing the country’s freedom.
He repeatedly called on the government and the public to offer greater recognition, dignity, and material support to surviving veterans and their families.
Family members said Kiambati remained mentally alert and socially engaged well into old age.
Just days before his death, he spent time with his children and grandchildren during a family memorial service held on Saturday to mark the 10th anniversary of a grandchild’s passing.
His death marks the end of a living link to Kenya’s armed liberation struggle, closing a chapter embodied by firsthand witnesses who carried the burden of resistance, imprisonment, and sacrifice in pursuit of self-rule.
