Dedan Kimathi family protests 'withdrawal' of Mukami's security
Dedan Kimathi's widow Mukami Kimathi. Her family has protested withdrawal of security detail and driver assigned to her without notice. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The family of former freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi has protested the withdrawal of security personnel and driver assigned to his widow Mukami Kimathi without notice.
According to the family, two bodyguards attached to Mrs Kimathi were withdrawn and recalled to Nairobi a week ago leaving the widow without any security.
Her driver was also withdrawn under unclear circumstances, Ms Evelyn Kimathi, her daughter and family spokesperson said.
The family now says that their mother, 88, is stressed as the withdrawal of her security detail comes days ahead of a planned three day meeting with former freedom fighters.
Over 400 freedom fighters are set to converge at her Kinangop home in Nyandarua County for the purpose of reaching out a way forward on how the former freedom fighters would acquire land to settle in Laikipia County.
“Our mother is now stressed and does not know why her security had been withdrawn at this particular time when freedom fighters plan to meet at her residence over the weekend.
"The weekend meeting is not a political meeting as some people perceive. We only want to settle the landless former freedom fighters on a land that we have identified in Laikipia,” she said.
The younger Ms Kimathi who is also the founder of Dedan Kimathi Foundation, said efforts by the family to get official communication from the government over the new developments has not been fruitful.
“We fear that our mother who is now ailing cannot be taken to hospital when emergency arises as per the norm due to the absence of her bodyguard and driver,” she added.
The State during former President Mwai Kibaki’s era offered the late freedom fight’s wife security personnel and two vehicles.
The government also built Dedan Kimathi’s family a permanent home in Kinangop, Nyandarua County.
Nyandarua county commissioner Boaz Cherutich said he was not aware of the withdrawal of the security personnel.
“This has not reached my office. I will communicate with the relevant authorities and get to you later,” he said on phone.
