The Executioner's Story: I Was The Last Man They Ever Saw

Mzee Wanjuki in his front yard.

I took many people to their graves; so many that I lost count of them...I estimate around a thousand people, maybe more.

Mzee Kirugumi wa Wanjuki , Kenya

Date Posted: 09/25/06

Reader Rating:

Kenyan prisons have had a historic reputation as being some of the most brutal correction facilities in the world. A place where prisoners faced torture, illnesses and brutality, both from fellow prisoners and guards. Now, in the 21st century, some reforms have taken hold, but Kenyan prisons still set the standard for "hard time."

The Kamiti Maximum Prison on the outskirts of Nairobi was purpose-built by the British colonialists as a detention and execution ground for the large numbers of Mau Mau freedom fighters who resisted and fought a bitter war against the British settlers. It is here that thousands of Mau Mau fighters and other capital criminals met their fate - a date with the hangman, the executioner.

Under the current constitution, capital crime is punishable by hanging and there have been calls from Kenyans to do away with the law and instead punish capital crimes with a life sentence. However, no hangings have been carried out in the country since 1985, when the last people to be executed were the Kenya Air Force Servicemen who attempted to overthrow the then dictatorial regime of President Moi in 1982.

82 year-old Mzee Kirugumi wa Wanjuki served at Kenya's largest maximum security prison where most executions were carried out. For nearly 15 years, from 1964 to 1979, Mzee Wanjuki was the last man the condemned saw. He was the executioner and this is his story, in his own words.

The day was December 10, 1964. We were called to a roll call at five in the afternoon when suddenly, the commandant called out: "2001." That was my service number and I quickly responded "Afande (Sir)." I marched forward to join the other prison warders who had been called earlier. The rest were dismissed and the commandant turned to address us.

"Today is not an ordinary day for you. The colonial masters are leaving and we have to take over the management of the country and its affairs. Go home, put on your best uniform and come back to work. You are dismissed."

So it all began, just two days before Kenya became an independent sovereign state, a long journey that brought me misery, joy and satisfaction all at the same time.

I did not know what was going to happen as I was still very new at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, coming from my previous posting at the King'ong'o Prison in Nyeri, only a few days before. Most of the Mau Mau freedom fighters detained by the British Colonial government and capital criminals were also jailed here, on flimsy grounds.

At about 8 pm, my colleagues and I were called to attention outside one of the special cells within the death row convicts' yard. A young Asian man emerged and I was ordered to tie his hands to the side of his body with a rope. I could feel my fingers and hands start to tremble as I tied the hands of the condemned man.

My knees started to shake and beads of sweat ran down my armpits.