Re: Miguna's seal of approval-When was Miguna detained?

Ndugu Nyaware,

I am involved in preparing a book recording the heroes of Kenya's freedom fighters. This includes those detained without trial, jailed for political beliefs, tortured, killed etc.

I have here with me a list of all political detainees in post-independence Kenya. In your piece below, you make certain allegations to the effect that:

>Miguna as being one of the former student leaders who ware
>detained by Moi government in the late eighties and expelled
>from Nairobi university. They were subjected to persecution
>due to their agitation for good governance.
>He was released from detention only at the intervention
>of Amnesty International and the UNHCR that played a crucial
>role in his flight to Canada.

Ndugu Nyaware, We have done very good work in compiling our list. And the name Miguna Miguna does not appear anywhere in the annals of the those who were detained or jailed either by Moi or Kenyatta. In fact the name Miguna Miguna seem not to be associated with any substantial political activity against one-party dictatorship.

This does not in anyway preclude Mr. Miguna's activities in other areas, nor does it try to diminish Miguna's achievements in life or political activity in general. What we are saying is that for the sake of those who gave their lives and sacrificed everything, please let's avoid putting on kofias that do not belong to us.

What we have gathered was that Miguna as a dining hall representative in the student representative council found himself under arrest for reasons he has never understood till this day. He was questioned and found to be of no threat to the state and released within a few days. He was among 43 students who were expelled. This led him to leave Kenya in search of further education. And the rest is history.

If I am wrong then please provide me with the following info

Date of Arrest
Date of arraignment in court (if any)
Date of Detention without trial
Name of Prison (s) held in
Date of release
Links to Amnesty Campaigns on behalf of Miguna Miguna.

Thanks
Manganga J
Kenya Heroes Documentation Project
Nairobi