Day Mbiyu Koinange betrayed Kimathi's brother in-law

Field Marshall Baimungi M'Marete (left) and other Mau Mau freedom fighters surrender their firearms. Looking on are ministers Jackson Angaine and Mbiyu Koinange at Kinoru stadium in Meru 1963. [File, Standard]

The call came when the bus was on its way to Kibera. The instructions were simple, the driver was to report to the Kenya Bus headquarters immediately. Since there were no mobile phones at the time, the call to Mbuthia Wangome was made through a two-way radio communication systems.

By the time Mbuthia arrived at the KBS headquarters, all his bosses were in a panic. Mbiyu Koinange, the powerful minister in the Office of the President, had made the order and nobody knew why he wanted to talk to Mbuthia.