I Refuse to Die: My Journey For Freedom
by Koigi Wa Wamwere
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Book Summary Information
Author: Koigi Wa WamwereForeword: Kerry Kennedy
Foreword: Nan Richardson
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-11-04
ISBN: 158322615X
Number of pages: 208
Publisher: Seven Stories Press
Book Reviews of I Refuse to Die: My Journey For Freedom
Book Review: This is a story of racial oppression and domination
Summary: 5 Stars
The autobiography of Kenyan human rights activist and political exile Koigi wa Wamwere, I Refuse To Die: My Journey For Freedom is the intensely personal story of Kenya's blood-stained colonial past as encapsulated in Wamwere's life. This is a story of racial oppression and domination of the British, the role of religion in that exploitation, and the revelations Koigi experienced when he left Kenya in 1971 to attend Cornell University in New York where he discovered black pride, democracy, and freedom of speech. He returned to Kenya to fight for human rights and in 1979 won a seat in the parliament where he represented the economically depressed Nakuru district for three years. Koigi was targeted by the Kenyatta and Moi regimes and was framed for offenses he did not commit but for which he spent a total of thirteen years in prison where he was systematically tortured. He was at one point even kidnaped in Uganda by Moi and brought back to detention in Kenya. Koigi escaped execution only with the help of the Norwegian government and human rights organizations around the world, including Amnesty International. Today Koigi continues to work for social change in Kenya and continues to inspire a new generation of Kenyans with his political vision and personal strength. I Refuse To Die is informative, inspiring, and highly recommended reading.
Summary of I Refuse to Die: My Journey For Freedom
An extraordinary account of how a laborer's son rose to challenge the power of despots, I Refuse to Die is both the autobiography of one gifted man who rose above the horrors of colonization, and an uncensored history of modern Kenya. The book is infused with the freedom songs of the Kenyan people, as well as dream prophecy and folk tales that are part of Kenya's rich storytelling tradition. Tracing the roots of the Mau Mau rebellion, wa Wamwere follows the evolution and degeneration of Jomo Kenyatta and the rise of Daniel arap Moi.In 1979, wa Wamwere won a seat in the parliament, where he represented the economically depressed Nakuru district for three years. An outspoken activist and journalist, wa Wamwere was framed and detained on three separate instances, spending thirteen years in prison, where he was tortured but not broken. His mother and others led a hunger strike to free him and fellow political prisoners. Their efforts brought about a show trial at which Koigi was sentenced to four more years in prison and "six strokes of the cane," and escaped Kenya?and probably execution?only through the exertions of human rights groups and the government of Norway.
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