Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Monday paid tribute to Kenya’s Mau Mau heroes during the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Ithookwe Stadium in Kitui County, urging Africans to preserve the memory of anti-colonial resistance and honor the sacrifices made for freedom, dignity, and justice across the continent.
Speaking during the event, the Senegalese leader reflected on the painful yet proud legacy of the Mau Mau fighters, including Fred Kubai, Jomo Kenyatta, Paul Ngei and their companions, who endured immense suffering at the hands of the colonial regime.
He recalled that members of the Mau Mau movement “suffered fierce repression at the hands of those whose sole aim was to perpetuate the colonial order,” noting that their struggle was not only for Kenya’s independence but also for Africa’s collective dignity and liberation.
The President described the Mau Mau heroes as patriots who bore unimaginable pain, from mass arrests, torture, executions, and displacement, yet never wavered in their pursuit of justice and self-determination.
“Their memory must be etched into our collective consciousness,” he said, urging Africans to safeguard the legacy of those who fought to dismantle colonial oppression.
In his address, Faye stressed that the story of colonialism in Africa was not just about enslavement and exploitation, but also about resistance, sacrifice, and delayed justice.
He emphasized that Kenya’s Mau Mau movement, much like other liberation struggles across the continent, embodied the enduring African spirit of freedom and resilience.
“I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to these worthy sons and daughters of Kenya and Africa,” he stated, recognizing the broader Pan-African resistance that united the continent’s people under a common cause for independence and dignity.
He lauded the courage of African nationalists who rose up against the European imperial powers, noting that their determination paved the way for the birth of modern African states.
“The courage and determination with which anti-colonial resistance movements blossomed against European imperialism remains a lesson in African unity and perseverance,” he said.
The Senegalese President further drew parallels between Kenya’s Mau Mau uprising and other African resistance movements, including the tragic events of December 1944 at Thiaroye Barracks in Senegal, where African soldiers, many of them Senegalese riflemen and veterans of World War II, were massacred by French colonial forces.
He recounted that the soldiers’ only demand had been the payment of their allowances and entitlements, yet they were brutally executed for asserting their rights.
“This was one of many premeditated criminal acts of colonial powers,” he lamented, calling it a reminder of the shared pain and injustice that bound African nations together in their struggle for liberation.
