The Centre Coordinator, Prof. John Mwaruvie, with researchers from Newcastle University, UK
The Centre for Mau Mau and other Liberation Movements today, Thursday, 8th June, 2023, hosted Dr. Laura Routley and Dr. Chloe’ Josse-Durand from Newcastle University, UK. The two scholars are conducting research on “Afterlives of Colonial Incarceration: African Prisons, Architecture and Politics.” The researchers were referred to the Centre by the National Museums of Kenya since their focus is on Mau Mau legacies. They are exploring the politics which surround former sites of imprisonment in Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa.
In Kenya, they have picked three sites namely Kapenguria where Jomo Kenyatta was imprisoned, Mweru and Kangubiri (loosely translated as ‘Go you are free’) which was the last station before Mau Mau detainees were freed. They intend to examine how the physical buildings and surroundings help to create meanings, what different stories are told about these places and what the current use of the buildings are.
They also explored what memories the recreation of the Mau Mau village carries and what impact the rehabilitation of the Mau Mau trench and the Mugumo tree have on the society. The Coordinator of the Centre, Prof. John Mwaruvie, and the researchers explored areas of possible collaborations between Karatina University and Newcastle University. It was noted that many aspects of the Mau Mau freedom fighters are yet to be explored.
The researchers appreciated the work that the Centre has done in documenting views of the Mau Mau veterans, different collections at the Mau Mau Museum and the physical representation of Mau Mau memories through the rehabilitation of the trench, Mugumo Post Office and recreation of the Mau Mau village