MZEE JOMO KENYATTA THE CARPENTER WHO BECAME A RENOWNED PAN-AFRICANIST
Born on October 20, 1891 at Ichaweri, Jomo Kenyatta was also known as Johnstone Kamau Ngengi as a child. When his mother died, Kamau moved to live with his grandfather, Kungu Mangana, who was a noted medicine man in the area. Around the age of 10, suffering from an infection, Kamau was taken to the Church of Scotland mission at Thogoto (about 20 kms north of Nairobi), where surgery was successfully carried out on both feet and one leg. Kamau was impressed by his first exposure to Europeans, and determined to join the mission school. He ran away from home to become a resident pupil at the mission, studying amongst other subjects, the Bible, English, Mathematics, and carpentry. He paid the school fees by working as a houseboy and cook for a nearby white settler.
The year 1912 saw Kenyatta complete his mission school education and begin his life as a young man. He had to first undergo certain traditional ceremonies in order to gain the respect within society as was expected at the time. This began in 1913 by undergoing a Kikuyu initiation ceremony (including circumcision), which confirmed his standing as a young man holding his place firmLY in the eyes of
