Proceedings of 2014/2015 DeKUT African Liberation Conferences on Mau Mau & other African Heroes: African Liberation Through the Eyes Of Education & Technology

Abstract

Dedan Kimathi University of Technology is named after the freedom fighter Dedan Wachiuri Kimathi; it is part of a memorial to all the freedom fighters and to Kenyan's liberation struggles. In the last five years, the DeKUT fraternity has worked to give value and meaning to this aspect of the university identity. In this regard since the inception of the University every February, marks the Kimathi week, which is a specific week selected to be around lSth February, the date Kimathi was executed. There have been various positive experiences arising from hosting the Kimathi Week. 1. The event has become one of the key activities in the University's academic calendar. 2. The neighbouring community has responded with lots of enthusiasm and pride to the activities organized during the week. 3. The National government through the Ministry of State for Culture and National Heritage also recognizes and appreciates the role that Dedan Kimathi University of Technology has played in filling this gap of the National history and heritage.

On its part, the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) Council approved the establishment of a Mau Mau Education Centre (MMEC) in 2012. It identified the objectives of the centre as: i. To provide a repository of records on Mau Mau history. ii. To provide a repository by way of a Museum for the Mau Mau artifacts. iii. To provide an avenue for development of education materials for the Mau Mau history. iv. To create a framework for collection of information and materials to serve research and scholarly interest for posterity. v . To provide a platform/forum for scholarly discourses on the Mau Mau with a view of providing a better understanding to the Mau Mau effort.