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MUINDI MBINGU SECONDARY SCHOOL

HISTORY

This is a secondary school with a population of 512. It was started in 1989 with a population of 42 students and 4 teachers. This school was opened in honor of a brave leader known as Samuel Muindi Mbingu. -

Samuel Muindi Mbingu was born in 1893 and schooled up to form four at Kabete Technical. After form four he joined the Kenya power and later the police. During this time the colonial government had taken most of the Kamba land and the Kamba community, which was mainly pastoralislt, send to reserved areas. -

In 1937 the DC with instruction from the governor took cattle from the "Nungus" meaning "monkeys/primitive blacks referring to the local natives. The government believed that the wealth of cattle made the kambas disobedient thus the wealth is taken so as to gain control over them. Besides taking the cattle the locals were also forced to make terraces in their shambas. This treatment provoked the vocal of fearless Muindi Mbingu to leave the police and mobilize others like Elijah Kavulu and Isaac Mwalonzi to fight for the rights of their people. Due to his fearless character, he commanded a lot of respect and obedience from people particularly from Ngelani and Kangundo regions and elected the chairman of the committee to address the peoples problems. In 1938, all the cattle in Kamba, Ngelani, Koma-rock region leaving the locals without any cattle. It was at this point that Muindi Mbingu mobilized all the people where they agreed not to let their cattle go and not to make terraces in the shambas. This agreement was summarized in a slogan "No Kikuu" meaning "as a previously agreed". From then they all refused the DCs meeting and whenever they attended they would leave. Incase of a disagreement saying "No Kikuu". With no solution to the problems of the locals. Muindi Mbingu led -

All the people of Ngelani, the old and the young, men and women in the biggest demonstration to Nairobi. More than 80 km so as to meet the government or himself. They went to "Kariokor". Then courier corps" where they stayed for one month all this time seeking to see the governor but being barred. All this time Muindi Mbingu organized how food for the people would be transported from Ngelani to Nairobi. At the end of the month the governors wife passed by and saw women suckling their young ones in the cold and this touched her so much and an act she wanted addressed by the governor and hence Muindu Mbingu and his committee went to the governor. Where they agreed to release the cattle to the owners. -

During the courier corps meeting, when asked what he wanted done to his people he responded in the local Kamba language "twenda kwikala ta maau mau maitu, twithye ngombe to Mau mau maitu, nunmdu nthi ino ni ya maau mau maitu. (We want to live like our grandfathers, keep cattle like our grandfathers, for the land we live on is our grandfathers). The colonialist later accused him of being the founder of "Mau Mau uprising "- the Mau Mau is accredited to this brave nationalist. -

From this time (1938) the colonial government accused Muindi Mbingu of leading a revolt called Mau Mau. It was against this background that he was arrested and detained for seven years in the Coastal Islands of Lamu. -

After release, he was com-promised by then D.C and collaborator with the colonial government, a move, which annoyed the people, he had previously led fighting against the abuse of their rights. This led to his brutal murder in 1953; his death marked the climax of Mau Mau revolution with others like former President Kenyatta championing the Mau Mau causes. -

What Muindi Mbingu did for his people is worth remembering hence Muindi Mbingu street in Nairobi and Muindi Mbingu Secondary School. -

Thank you,

Head of the School and Researcher in Kamba History.

Compiled by NGAO Head of department science, Researcher in Kamba history. Approved by the principal

SCHOOL INFORMATION

Total school enrollment 512.

COST PER STUDENT PER SCHOOL YEAR

Grade 9 to 12

Total $450.00

If you need more information on school or student sponsorships, please feel free to contact us

Location

Machakos, Kenya

Pictures of more sponsored students, the school and the surrounding area from 2007 can be found at the links below.

MUINDI MBINGU Gallery I