Trials in The Trial of Dedan Kimathi Essay Example

businessman-“Judas”.

In the third trial Kimathi has to face influential people from Africa from economic, political and religious spheres. This trial is slightly more difficult from the other two. The business executive informs him that there is no more racialism and any African who works hard can make I to the top and also that they could now buy lands in Whitelands. Kimathi shuns him questioning that why should they buy their own land. The politician informs him that now “we can get independence province by province. ” To this Kimathi strongly objects that Kenya is one indivisible whole.

Kimathi is shocked when even the priest asks him to give up his struggle in the name of brotherhood. It is now that he feels that his real trial has begun. He is very sure about his commitment to the cause but doubts started coming up in his mind regarding the support of Kenyan people. In the fourth trial Kimathi is subjected to physical torture by Shaw Henderson. His body is broken but not his spirit. Even after being subjected to extreme torture he says, “Our people will never surrender”. This shows he has come out victorious through this trial as well.

In the Guerilla camp Kimathi tries two British soldiers and also the traitors to the cause in which his brother Wambararia is also included. The Guerrilla camp offers a contrast to the courtroom scene. Unlike the white judge who presides over kimathi, Kimathi is not a dictator. His Guerilla camp is a democratic forum where every member gets an opportunity to voice his or her opinion. This is the most difficult

trial for Kimathi as he has to try his own brother. While trying him Kimathi remembers his childhood memories with him. He has to struggle between his affection to his brother and his commitment to the cause.

He also comes to know that his mother has gone crazy and keeps praying to God to spare Wambararia. So this also becomes a struggle between his mother and his motherland. He decides to punish the traitors but when they escape again, he finally orders to shoot them at the sight. It’s not just Kimathi’s trial, the people of Kenya also go through a trial, whether they would stand against colonialism or would they be happy with the bread crumbs thrown by colonizers. The torture and the surveillance that the woman, boy, girl and others have to go through while trying to free Kimathi is trying to free Kimathi is their trial.

The common people of Kenya also come out victorious when at the end they enter the court singing patriotic songs. They become united for a common cause of freedom thus making themselves and Kimathi victorious. It is also a trial for the contemporary people of Kenya, whether they would continue to remember and appreciate the sacrifices of these so called “terrorists”. Chidi Amuta gives a whole new meaning to the trials and remarks that it is imperialism that is on trial. According to her in each of the four trial scenes the doings of the imperialists and their agents are exposed through their speech and action.

Also Kimathi, the accused is heard giving the judgement brought against imperialism by the injured and the

exploited. Duplicating what Shaw Henderson does he becomes both prosecuting attorney and judge and turns the table against the enemy. Thus, the playnot only deals with the trial of Dedan Kimathi but it’s a trial in more than one sense of the term. It’s the trial of the people of Kenya then and now; the trial of the mau mau rebellions; the emotional trial of Kimathi and also the trial of imperialism.