Statecraft & Independence
Distinguished
Muthoni Kirima
The only woman to reach Field Marshal in the Mau Mau
Distinguished is level 3 of 4 in the Kenya Hall of Fame: sustained excellence over a career, widely honoured at home. See how the levels work.
Why they are here
A platoon fighter in the Nyeri forests and the only woman among the Mau Mau's Field Marshals, she kept her hair uncut for decades afterwards as a record of the war.
Field Marshal Muthoni Kirima fought as a platoon fighter in Nyeri and was one of three Mau Mau Field Marshals, alongside Dedan Kimathi and Musa Mwariama.
Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will check it.