In the annals of colonial-era central Kenyan history, the name Chief Njiiri wa Karanja prominently emerges, echoing the likes of Chief Waiyaki Wa Hinga, Senior Chief Warukiu Wa Kung’u, and Senior Chief Njenga Wa Gioko, who collaborated with the British government during that period.
Chief Njiiri, distinguished as the wealthiest individual in central Kenya during his time, achieved an unparalleled status. Notably, he held the distinction of being the sole individual within a 1000 km radius to possess a transistor radio and one of the very few Africans to own a horse.
While contemporaries were immersed in the struggle for independence, Njiiri devoted his energies to building his empire, accumulating vast expanses of land, including nearly an entire location in Kinyona, Murang’a county, as reported by The Standard.
His wealth extended to 5,000 goats, 4,000 sheep, and a herd of 2,000 cattle. In the 1950s, a period when many Africans used shells and beads as currency, Chief Njiiri stood out as the wealthiest African money changer dealing in hard cash.
In a time when bicycles were primarily owned by head teachers and extension officers, Chief Njiiri’s grandchildren were chauffeured to school in a British Land Rover. Remarkably, he sent his son, Kariuki Njiiri, to the United States for further studies, who later became an MP for Kigumo and established the first Kenyan-owned clothing supermarket.
Chief Njiiri, who always had someone carry his folding chair, lived in a vast compound without a fence. Despite the absence of barriers, anyone entering from a direction other than the guarded gate faced consequences.
His antagonistic relationship with the Mau Mau, whom he allegedly vehemently despised, stemmed from their objections to chiefs like him involved in tax collection and enforcing colonial policies.
Undeterred by threats, Chief Njiiri defiantly flew a 60-foot British flag, symbolizing his resistance. The colonial government, recognizing his vulnerability, provided him with a permanent police squad from the Kinyona police station for protection.
Despite being illiterate, a police chopper daily delivered a copy of the East African Standard to his home, which the guard read aloud. Notably, Njiiri, mentioned in “The History of the Loyalists” published in 1958, had 42 wives.
His conflicts with the Mau Mau attracted the attention of Queen Elizabeth, who paid him a courtesy call in 1957. The legacy of Chief Njiiri endured, leading to the naming of Njiiri High School in Murang’a, one of the region’s top-performing schools, in his honor.
In recognition of his contributions, Chief Njiiri was awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE). His eventful life continued as he married his 30th wife in 1964, and he passed away over a decade later at the age of 100.
