Activities to do at Kapenguria Museum : The political evolution of Kenya and its achievement of independence in 1963 are reflected in the Kapenguria Museum. During the fight for independence, it served as the location where the country’s founding fathers were held captive. The renowned Kapenguria Six Jomo Kenyatta, Fred Kubai, Kungu Karumba, Paul Ngei, Bildad Kaggia, and Achieng Oneko lived here for seven years.
The museum, that contains artefacts and photographic collections, was established in 1993 and consists of the Pokot homestead, the ethnographic galleries, and the cells. Thanks to anthropologist Mrs. Anny Mulder, this gallery was established. She worked with the Pokot people in this area.
The courthouse at Kapenguria proved to be too small to hold a hearing during the trial of the Kapenguria Six. For this reason, the presiding judge, Ransley Thacker, relocated the courthouse to a room in the current Chewoyet High School. Formerly, the institution served as a government training centre for agriculture.
The six were put on trial and accused of running the Mau Mau, an unlawful organization, together. Deputy Public Prosecutor Anthony Somerhough explained how the group planned to kill white people living in Kenya. The major witness in the trial was Rawson Macharia, who described how he had taken an oath with Kenyatta in March 1950 as a member of the Mau Mau. In addition, he asserted that the oath had forced him to drink human blood and strip naked. Subsequently, it was revealed that Rawson was seduced by an alluring incentive to provide false testimony during the trial. Upon returning from the UK, an offer to study public administration, family protection, and work for the government at Exeter University College was too good to refuse.
Following the trial, the six were sentenced to seven years of hard labour. Since then, each has departed, and the Kapenguria Museum is mostly dedicated to honoring them. Make sure to complete these three tasks when you come.
- See the Mau Mau Gallery.
View displays on the Mau Mau movement that feature photos, relics from the era of the freedom struggle, and newspaper articles that shed light on the hardships endured by the numerous people who lost their lives fighting for Kenya’s independence.
- Visit the Uhuru Memorial Library and the Heroes’ Cells.
Historical literary collections celebrating Kenyan political figures from the colonial era and the heroes of the independence war are kept at the Uhuru Memorial Library. The six were kept in the now-repaired Heroes’ Cells. Colonial jail wardens used the holes on each door of the marked cells to check on the inmates. Take a look at this intriguing tale to find out why one of the cells remains nameless.
- Visit the Cultural Galleries.
The majority of the cultural artefacts housed in the Kapenguria Museum are from the Pokot and Cherangany peoples. Here, for example, you may observe a traditional homestead belonging to both populations.
A picture of a Pokot boy herding may be found in the Kapenguria Museum’s culture collection.
The majority of the Kapenguria Six went on to hold important roles in the newly formed Kenya. Kaggia and Ngei held ministerial positions prior to Kenyatta becoming the country’s first president. During the 7th Parliament of Kenya, Oneko represented Rarieda as an MP.
The anomaly was Kung’u Karumba. He avoided politics, choosing instead to pursue a career in business, all the while being close to Kenyatta as an adviser and friend. He invested a lot of money in Uganda. According to others, he even made a significant loan to Isaac Maliyamungu’s wife, the Ugandan military commander. In June 1974, Karumba left for Uganda and never came back because she would not pay. Subsequent intelligence reports claimed that Maliyamungu killed Karumba after they got into a fight about his wife’s debts. Plan and prepare a safari to Kenya and explore the Kapenguria museum.
