Eliud Wambu Mathu (1 June 1910 – 26 May 1993) was a Kenyan teacher, politician and civil servant. He was the first African member of the

Legislative Council of Kenya The Legislative Council of Kenya (LegCo) was the legislature of Kenya between 1907 and 1963. It was modelled on the Westminster system. It began as a nominated, exclusively European institution and evolved into an electable legislature with unive ...

and served from 1944 to 1957.

Biography

Mathu was born in Karai to a Kikuyu family.Andrew Burton, Andrew Ross Burton, Helene Charton-Bigot, Generations Past: Youth in East African History, Ohio University Press, 19 Oct 2010 He was educated at the Alliance High School and qualified as a teacher. In 1929 he became the first African master at Alliance. Between 1932 and 1934 he studied at Fort Hare College in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

and passed the South Africa matriculation. He returned to teach at Alliance and pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree through a correspondence course. In 1938 he moved to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

to complete a one-year teaching diploma from

Exeter University , mottoeng = "We Follow the Light" , established = 1838 - St Luke's College1855 - Exeter School of Art1863 - Exeter School of Science 1955 - University of Exeter (received royal charter) , type = Public ...

, and study history at

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the ...

. Mathu returned to Kenya in 1940, teaching at Alliance until he left in 1942 to open his own school in Waithaka. In October 1944, Mathu was nominated to the Legislative Council of Kenya to represent the African community. He became the first African member of the Council. He co-founded the

Kenya African Study Union The Kenya African Union (KAU) was a political organization devoted to achieving independence for British Kenya. In 1960 it became the current Kenya African National Union (KANU). Formation The Kenya African Union was founded in 1944 under the nam ...

to help co-ordinate and represent African interests in the Council. During the

Mau Mau Uprising The Mau Mau rebellion (1952–1960), also known as the Mau Mau uprising, Mau Mau revolt or Kenya Emergency, was a war in the British Kenya Colony (1920–1963) between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), also known as the ''Mau Mau'', a ...

rival politicians from tribes deemed loyal to the government accused him of organising the Mau Mau. Despite remaining loyal himself, as a Kikuyu, he became disqualified from serving in the Council.Munene, Macharia, Historical Reflections on Kenya: Intellectual Adventurism, Politics and International Relations, University of Nairobi Press, 16 Mar 2015 At the 1957 election Mathu was replaced by Bernard Mate, a member of the Meru tribe who had the support of the government. He died in

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city prope ...

on 26 May 1993.Kenya Gazette, 7 Oct 1994, Vol. 96, No. 48

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mathu, Wambu 1910 births 1993 deaths University of Fort Hare alumni Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford Alumni of Alliance High School (Kenya) Members of the Legislative Council of Kenya British Kenya people