- The tale goes that the men plotted against her and tricked her to strip naked which brought her too much shame, causing her to resign.
- Since then, local men have used the tale to brand authoritative women as Wangu wa Makeri.
Image: ALICE WAITHERA
Wangu Wa Makeri, the only woman in Kenya to be appointed a chief during British colonialism, has been used by many to discourage Murang’a residents from voting for women.
Wangu was made a chief by colonial Governor Fort Hall and would reportedly sit on men’s backs as he addressed gatherings.
The tale goes that the men plotted against her and tricked her to strip naked which brought her too much shame, causing her to resign.
Since then, local men have used the tale to brand authoritative women as Wangu wa Makeri while discouraging others from voting for women.
But National Museums of Kenya curator in Murang’a Anthony Maina dismisses the tale as a myth concocted to soil the legacy of a sturdy leader who commanded the respect of her villagers.
Born in 1856 in Gitii village, Kangema, Wangu became a chief after senior chief Kakuri wa Gakure recommended her to Hall in 1902.
Wangu was by then married to Makeri, a wealthy man who was a close friend to Karuri, and had six children. The two settled at Koimbi in Murang’a East subcounty.
Karuri who lived in Tutho, Kangema, would spend the night at Makeri’s homestead as he journeyed to Governor Hall’s office in Murang’a town using a mule.
Makeri was the only son in a well-off family and inherited big chunks of land and livestock. He later married seven more wives and Wangu was responsible for keeping the household in order.
The hospitable and sociable Wangu was also charged with the responsibility of hosting Makeri, and it is said that they eventually became lovers.
“Karuri’s entourage would be lavished with alcohol, milk and dances,” Maina told the Star.
Image: ALICE WAITHERA
He explained that Karuri at first wanted to appoint Makeri who was his age-mate as the chief but he refused the offer and instead recommended his wife Wangu.
Her appointment caused jitters as the community attached much importance to masculinity.
The chief's position had been created by the colonialists to facilitate indirect rule on Africans.
Her role was to collect taxes, recruit workers for the settlers and maintain law and order.
Hall died soon after and was succeeded by S.L Hinde who confirmed Wangu’s appointment.
Wangu established a camp at Koimbi where the buildings she built still stand to date. The camp has been turned into a children's home that is run by the county government.
She formed an enforcement squad to help her enforce the settlers’ rules and her reign was marked by decisiveness, Maina said.
In 1909, a local man known as Muraya got drunk and disrupted a meeting she was officiating. Wangu ordered her squad to arrest him before she sat on him, a decision that sparked uproar and ultimately brought her reign to an end.
“Men thought the act was indecent and labelled her a tyrant,” Maina said.
Image: ALICE WAITHERA
At the time, Agikuyu culture did not allow women to be leaders except to their fellow women. One day, Wangu's clothes came undone. It was the last straw for the villagers who accused her of being disgraceful.
But Maina explains that Wangu wore a piece of cloth called ‘gichocho’ around her waist and on her chest she donned ‘mutamu’ and only her shoulders were exposed.
Wangu would be carried on her stretcher-like chair by four men and when she walked, she had a train of women beside her.
Wangu ensured her children were well-educated as the settlers had built schools and churches in the county like Kahuhia Girls High School. She also learnt to read and write.
She embraced Christianity while still a chief and was baptized with her children. Her christian name was Mary.
Her resignation shocked Governor Hinde as she was a good leader. Wangu was succeeded by a man known as Gathimba before her son Muchiri who was learned rose to the position.
Image: Alice Waithera
Maina said had she continued to rule as chief, she would have transformed her area due to her exemplary leadership skills.
“If we only had more women like her rising to leadership positions, Murang’a county would be far ahead of others,” Maina said, underscoring the need to have more women in leadership.
Wangu died in 1933 and her husband died a year later.
Maina said Wangu’s story indicates that women can rise above cultural challenges to lead and that it should not be used to further suppress them.
“Her story is one of hope. She set a good precedent at a time when women were looked down upon by the community and displayed exemplary leadership skills,” he said.
Wangu's camp still stands at Koimbi area in Kahuro subcounty and was converted into a children's home, now run by the county government, in the 1980s.
Her offices, workers' quarters and cell are still in good shape and the children's home has conserved her memories by hanging her portraits.
Her office has a concrete safe whose walls the workers said cannot be penetrated by steel.
Murang'a is one of the counties with the most women leaders in the Kenya, with three constituencies out of seven being led by women MPs.
But MPs Mary Waithera (Maragua), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Wangari Mwaniki (Kigumo) and Woman Representative Sabina Chege have given harrowing tales of the harassment they went through as they sought votes.
Waithera and Chege said they were labelled Wangu wa Makeri by some chauvinistic men who told them blatantly that they would not be elected.
"They would say that they are not interested in returning the leadership of Wangu Wa Makeri," Waithera told the Star.
They said male opponents went to the extent of using women to harass them and disrupt their meetings while attacking their private lives.
Edited by Henry Makori
Image: ALICE WAITHERA