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Madaraka Day reminds Kenyans of the year they attained self-governance from colonialists in 1963.

The fight for independence was not a walk in the park as the Mau Mau fighters faced many challenges to rescue the country from the hands of the colonial masters.

A number of Mau Mau fighters did not live to taste the fruits of independence while others are in their sunset years.

Mzee Wilson Kinyanjui Tamoo, 90, a resident of Olokrikrai area, in Narok North Sub County is one of the few Mau Mau fighters left to tell the tales of how they rescued the country from the hands of the colonial government.

Speaking to journalists Mzee Tamoo says he joined Kenya African Union (KAU) Party in 1950 and on October 20, 1952, he was arrested after being suspected to be among a group of people then taking oaths in the forest.

“I was taken to Elburgon and later Molo police station with other 20 suspected members.

They were later transferred to Keringeti where the colonialists had established a small ‘Kangaroo’ court,” he says.

There, he recalls he was jailed for three weeks with forced hard labour after failing to pay an alternative fine of Sh20.

He was released in 1952 and returned back to his home in Narok. However, the following year, he joined the freedom fighters again and was unfortunately re-arrested.

 This time round, he was taken to Nairregi Enkare detention camp where he stayed for three years and later transferred to Ngerua camp in Kiambu for one year.

 Mzee Tamoo says the courts were meant to frustrate the efforts of the Mau Mau movement as they were  hanged upside down to force them to reveal the secrets of their colleagues.

 “Some days, the colonial people would burn wet firewood in the prison rooms to make us suffocate and reveal all the secrets of the Mau Mau.

But we had already taken an oath that we would not reveal our secrets even in death,” he says.

 He recalls his main role in the Mau Mau uprising was to carry out investigations and give feedback to the leadership in the forest.

 Among the veteran Mau Mau fighters, he collaborated with include Kurito ole Kisio, Kaheri Waweru, Sikira ole Kuyo and Kagio Kamau, who were their leaders.  – KNA