Kenyatta, Jomo, << kehn YAH tuh, JOH moh >> (1897?-1978), was the first leader of independent Kenya. He also was a leading spokesman for African independence from European colonial rule and for pan-Africanism, which promotes the unity of African peoples. He belonged to the Kikuyu ethnic group.
Kenyatta was born near Nairobi. His birth name was Kamau wa Ngengi. He was educated by Church of Scotland missionaries. From 1929 to 1946, he lived in Europe and studied mainly at British schools. Kenyatta’s book Facing Mount Kenya was published in 1938. In 1953, Kenyatta and other Kikuyu leaders were convicted of involvement in the Mau Mau movement and jailed (see Kenya (History); Mau Mau). The British colonial government kept Kenyatta in detention until 1961. In 1963, when Kenya gained its independence, Kenyatta led the Kenya African National Union (KANU) to victory in general elections. He became prime minister. When Kenya became a republic in 1964, his title was changed to president. He died in office on Aug. 22, 1978. His son Uhuru Kenyatta was elected president of Kenya in 2013.
