By Antony Gitonga                                       

Prime Minister Raila Odinga started his tour of Nyandarua County
with admission that the country’s freedom fighter had been forgotten.

To this end, Raila said that the remains of the late freedom fight
Dedan Kimathi which have been lying in Kamiti Prison for years would
be exhumed, given a decent burial and his grave turned into a national mausoleum.

The PM announced that the former home of the freedom fighter in
Njabini Kinangop would be turned into a museum as a tribute to
Kimathi.

“I have talked to the Minister for National Heritage and funds for
this exercise will be provided as remembrance for the work he did for
the country,” he said.

Raila was speaking in Njabini after visiting the home of the widow of
the freedom fighter Mukami Kimathi during his tour of the agriculture
rich area.

“Many are the time the freedom fighters have been forgotten and I
shall continue assist this home,” he said.

On agriculture, the PM promised potatoes farmers that he would address
the issue of potato packaging in the region.

“The brokers have been packaging the potatoes in  200kg bags which is
illegal and the packaging should be standardized to 110kg,” he said.

Raila expressed concern over the poor status of roads in the region and promised that the issue would be addressed.

He pointed out to the Magumu-Njabini road as one the most affected and
directed the Minister of roads to address the issue.

Meanwhile Raila denied the notion that he had a grudge against the
Kikuyus terming this as reckless politics.

“In 2002 I declared Kibaki Tosha yet I knew that he was a kikuyu and
those alleging that I hate Kikuyus are warmongers who should be
ignored,” he said.

Assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru thanked the Pm for visiting Mau
Mau widows noting that they had been forgotten.

“A country that forgets its freedom fighters who died seeking
independence is a failed state,” said the MP.

On his part former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga who had accompanied the
PM urged him to look into the welfare of the children of the Mau Mau who were undergoing untold suffering.

“There are many siblings of the Mau Mau who are suffering and I ask
the PM to meet them and address their problems,” he said.

Among those who had accompanied the PM were ministers Anyang Nyong’o,
Henry Kosgei, MP Fred Outa and other senior ODM members.