Bildad Kaggia
Encyclopedia
Bildad Mwaganu Kaggia was a Kenya
n nationalist, freedom-fighter, and politician.
, where his father had moved from his home district of Muranga District
.
in 1947; he eventually rose to its secretaryship. He also founded, organised, and led the Clerks and Commercial Workers Union. In 1949, it amalgamated with several other unions to form the Labour Trade Union of East Africa. Kaggia would later serve as president of the general union.
Despairing of constitutional change, he joined Mau Mau and sat on its central Committee. On 20 October 1952, he, along with the rest of the Kapenguria Six
, was arrested in Operation Jock Scott, and charged inter alia with managing Mau Mau, and being a senior member of it. He was convicted at trial, and imprisoned until September 1961. Thereafter, he was confined to his home district. On 17 November 1961, all restrictions were lifted.
seat on a KANU
ticket, and so had the distinction of a seat in independent Kenya's first parliament. Kaggia also served as a minister in the Kenyatta cabinet; his denunciations of corruption marked him out as a member of KANU's radical tendency. When Kenyatta and Mboya
combined to purge the KANU left, he was one of their victims, with Kenyatta making the trip to Kandara to campaign against him. He joined Odinga's KPU
, but eventually retired from active politics in 1974, after failing to recapture his seat.
Kaggia was the leading Kenyan leftist of the colonial period; probably the strategic planner on Mau Mau's central committee; notably anti-racist; and uncompromisingly committed to the poor.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n nationalist, freedom-fighter, and politician.
Early life
Kaggia was born in 1922, at Dagoretti, now part of NairobiNairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, where his father had moved from his home district of Muranga District
Murang'a
Murang'a is a town in Central Province of Kenya. The town was previously called Fort Hall. It is the administrative centre of Murang'a District and is mainly inhabited by the Kikuyu community....
.
The Young Radical
After service in World War II, Kaggia returned home and joined KAUKenya African Union
Kenya African Union was a political organization formed in 1944to articulate Kenyan grievances against the British colonial administration of the time...
in 1947; he eventually rose to its secretaryship. He also founded, organised, and led the Clerks and Commercial Workers Union. In 1949, it amalgamated with several other unions to form the Labour Trade Union of East Africa. Kaggia would later serve as president of the general union.
Despairing of constitutional change, he joined Mau Mau and sat on its central Committee. On 20 October 1952, he, along with the rest of the Kapenguria Six
Kapenguria Six
The Kapenguria Six - Bildad Kaggia, Kung'u Karumba, Jomo Kenyatta, Fred Kubai, Paul Ngei, and Achieng' Oneko - were six leading Kenyan nationalists who were arrested in 1952, tried at Kapenguria in 1952-3, and imprisoned thereafter in Northern Kenya....
, was arrested in Operation Jock Scott, and charged inter alia with managing Mau Mau, and being a senior member of it. He was convicted at trial, and imprisoned until September 1961. Thereafter, he was confined to his home district. On 17 November 1961, all restrictions were lifted.
Independence and After
In the 1963 elections, he won Kandara ConstituencyKandara Constituency
Kandara Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of three constituencies in Maragua District, Central Province. The constituency was established for the 1963 elections.- Members of Parliament :- Wards :...
seat on a KANU
Kenya African National Union
The Kenya African National Union, better known as KANU is a political party which ruled Kenya for nearly 40 years after its independence from British colonial rule in 1963, until its electoral loss at the end of 2002...
ticket, and so had the distinction of a seat in independent Kenya's first parliament. Kaggia also served as a minister in the Kenyatta cabinet; his denunciations of corruption marked him out as a member of KANU's radical tendency. When Kenyatta and Mboya
Tom Mboya
Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya was a prominent Kenyan politician during Jomo Kenyatta's government. He was founder of the Nairobi People's Congress Party, a key figure in the formation of the Kenya African National Union , and the Minister of Economic Planning and Development at the time of his death...
combined to purge the KANU left, he was one of their victims, with Kenyatta making the trip to Kandara to campaign against him. He joined Odinga's KPU
Kenya People's Union
Kenya People's Union was a socialist political party in Kenya led by Oginga Odinga. The party was banned in 1969.- History :In March 1966 a left-wing faction of the governing Kenya African National Union left the party and formed the KPU...
, but eventually retired from active politics in 1974, after failing to recapture his seat.
Kaggia was the leading Kenyan leftist of the colonial period; probably the strategic planner on Mau Mau's central committee; notably anti-racist; and uncompromisingly committed to the poor.