The family of the late Kikuyu paramount chief Karuri wa Gakure has begun the process of subdividing and donating part of his ancestral land to the Catholic Church in honour of his legacy.
Speaking during a symbolic event led by the fourth-generation grandson of the late chief, Francis Macharia explained that the gesture was meant to honour the enduring friendship between Karuri wa Gakure and the early Catholic missionaries. "This land carries history; it is where the missionaries were first welcomed, where they built and lived, and it is also where the late Chief Karuri was buried," said Macharia in an event that was held in Kangema on Thursday. "Completing the subdivision and handing it over to the Church is our way of fulfilling his legacy and preserving the relationship he started," he added.
Karuri wa Gakure, a powerful Kikuyu leader during the late 19th century, played a pivotal role in welcoming missionaries into Central Kenya.
Historical accounts suggest he provided land and protection to the early Catholic missionaries, even requesting that they provide his many children with education, something that was not widely available at the time. "Our great-grandfather saw education as a blessing," recounted Joakim Gatimu Karuri, another family member. "He believed that hosting the missionaries would help secure a better future for his children.
