Paul Ngei

The Honourable Paul Joseph Ngei (18 October 1923 – 15 August 2004) was a Kenyan politician who was imprisoned for his role in the anti-colonial movement, but who went on to hold several government ministerial positions after Kenya became independent.

Ngei was born at Kiima Kimwe near Machakos township, Kenya. He was the grandson of paramount chief Masaku after whom the town and the district were named. The family moved from Kiima Kimwe to a new settlement at Kangundo Division in a small village called Mbilini in 1929. This was a mountainous area with good rainfall for agriculture. His father had been converted to Christianity by the Africa Inland Mission.

Ngei attended primary school at DEB Kangundo from 1932, intermediate school at Kwa Mating'i in Machakos town from 1936, and Alliance High School in Kiambu District. He then joined the army in the King's African Rifles (KAR) for a four-year stint. After that he enrolled at Makerere University in Uganda as a journalism student from 1948–1950.

The anti-colonial movement gathered mometum in Kenya in the 1940s. A political upsurge led to the Mau Mau rebellion, which involved several tribes: the Luos, Nandis, Maasai, Kamba, Kikuyus, Merus and Embus.

The declaration of a state of emergency in October 1952 led to the arrest of Ngei, Jomo Kenyatta and others. Ngei earned Kenyatta's undying friendship when, during their imprisonment in Lodwar, Ngei physically stopped a colonial jailer from beating up Kenyatta by seizing the whip and challenging the jailer to beat him (Ngei) first. The "Kapenguria Six" included Fred Kubai, Bildad Kaggia, Achieng Oneko and Kung'u Karumba. The last surviving member, Oneko, died on 9 June 2007.Mashujaa Day, which until recently was known as Kenyatta Day is a national holiday in Kenya held every year to commemorate the detention of the six on 20 October 1952.

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