THE UNFORGOTTEN: JOMO KENYATTA

His date of birth is uncertain. Born Kamau wa Ngengi in the village of Gatundu, in British East Africa (now Kenya), he is known as the founding father of Kenya.

He was the leader of Kenya from independence in 1963 to his death in 1978 serving first as Prime Minister (1963 - 64) and then as President (1964 - 78). He is also the father of Kenya's fourth and current President, Uhuru Kenyatta.

JOMO KENYATTA AND HAILE SELASSIE

Jomo Kenyatta was a well educated intellectual who authored several books, and is remembered as a Pan-Africanist. He elevated from being and apprentice carpenter to publishing articles and letters to the editor in 'The Times' and the 'Manchester Guardian' under the name Johnstone Kenyatta.

Kenyatta acted as an extra in the film 'Sanders of the River '(1934), directed by Alexander Korda and starring Paul Robeson.


He was arrested in October 1952 and indicted with five others on the charges of "managing and being a member" of the Mau Mau society, a radical anti-colonial movement engaged in rebellion against Kenya's British rulers. On April 8 1953, Kenyatta was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment with hard labour. He remained in prison until 1959.

  On June 1 1963, Kenyatta became Prime Minister of Kenya and later elected as President from 1964 until his death. Joma Kenyatta died of natural causes after suffering a series of heart attacks.