Gachagua pays tribute to fallen freedom fighter General Kiambati wa Njora
By Ascah Mwango, February 3, 2026Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has mourned the death of General Kiambati wa Njora, the last surviving of the 12 Mau Mau generals, who died at the age of 106.
General Kiambati passed away peacefully at his home in Ngorika, Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, marking the end of a major chapter in Kenya’s freedom struggle history.
In a statement shared on his X account on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Gachagua said he received the news with deep pain, noting that the country had lost a veteran who carried the memories of the Mau Mau fight against British colonial rule.
“I have learnt of the demise of General Kiambati wa Njora with great pain and sad memories of our struggle for freedom as a Nation. General Kiambati hailed from Nyandarua County, the home of the indefatigable fighters during the MauMau violent struggle to end the British colonial rule and land reclamation in Kenya,” Gachagua stated.
He described Kiambati as one of the fighters from Nyandarua, a region that played a key role during the Mau Mau uprising, with many combatants using forest hideouts as they resisted colonial forces.
Gachagua said the late general should be remembered alongside other well-known liberation heroes such as Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi, Mukami Kimathi and other Mau Mau leaders who endured extreme hardship in the fight for Kenya’s independence.
“We shall remember General Kiambati alongside thousands of Africans who died, Generals and fighters like Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi, Mukami Kimathi, General China – Waruhiu, General Mwariama, General Mathenge, General Mbaria, General Kubu Kubu, General Tanganyika, General Baimungi, among others who fought bare hands as bombs, bullets and other modern warfare weapons rained on them,” Gachagua added.
He also reflected on the painful divisions of that time, including betrayal and collaboration that weakened the struggle, saying the country should never forget the sacrifices made by those who stood for freedom.
Gachagua sent condolences to the family of General Kiambati and the people of Nyandarua County, urging Kenyans to honour and protect the legacy of freedom fighters who gave everything for the nation.
Kiambati
General Kiambati was widely regarded as one of the key commanders of the Mau Mau Uprising, the 1950s guerrilla war that accelerated the collapse of British colonial rule and paved the way for Kenya’s independence in 1963.
Most of his activities were concentrated in Nyandarua, one of the main battlefronts of the struggle, where freedom fighters often withdrew into the forests to regroup, plan and launch resistance against colonial forces.
He came to represent courage and defiance in Central Kenya, earning respect both within his community and across the country for his contribution to the liberation movement. In his later years, Kiambati also emerged as a strong advocate for the welfare of former freedom fighters, frequently highlighting the difficulties many Mau Mau veterans and their families endured, such as poverty and the lack of proper recognition for their sacrifice.