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Too Early For Birds Profile picture
Too Early For Birds
@tooearly4birds
A crew retelling Kenyan history in the dopest funkiest ways you can imagine.
Feb 16 • 21 tweets • 7 min read
Kenyatta's Cabinet had quite a number of alcoholics, but none came close to James Gichuru, the Minister for Finance, who was always drunk, that most of his work was done by Michuki (his PS) & Kibaki (then Minister for Commerce).

Story time 🧵 Now, before I even start, I'd like to mention that I'm in a dilemma on whether to start with his pre-independence theatrics, or his post-independence theatrics.
Feb 5 • 51 tweets • 12 min read
How much do you know about the Kenyan Parliament before 1963?

Well, in school, we're taught of Eliud Mathu becoming the first African rep in 1944, and then eventually, Mboya, Oginga, Ngala & co. joining in 1957.

But how had it been operating before?

Let us do the honors: The story starts in 1895. This was the time when William Mackinnon, who had tried to establish control and develop regional trade in East Africa through his company IBEACo, eventually declared bankruptcy and handed over the charter back to the British government.
Jan 19 • 31 tweets • 9 min read
James Kerr Watson was a man of many firsts in colonial Kenya, both in the construction industry and in the agricultural industry. Little is known about him, so...

Let us do the honors: The year was 1901, and the Ugandan Railway had finally reached Kisumu - its destination.
Jan 17 • 28 tweets • 8 min read
Much is known about Jeevanjee with regards to his wealth, but less is known about how he acquired it, up to the point of founding the Standard newspaper as know it today.

So, let us do the honors: The year is 1856, and a baby is born in a town called Karachi (the current capital city of Pakistan).

His parents belong to the Shia Dawood Bohra community, and as the Bohra rules were, no member of their community was allowed to get Western education.
. dawoodi-bohras.com/about_us/peopl…
Jan 12 • 23 tweets • 4 min read
The story of Wanyoike Thungu is as interesting as they come.

Being Mzee Kenyatta's bodyguard, he did the dirty work needed to get Mzee what he wanted, from being involved in the murder of JM Kariuki, to grabbing land and even stealing agricultural produce from Asians. His tale starts in 1946, when he was a youth-winger in the Kenya Africa Union (KAU) Party, tasked with the duty of providing security to the top brass of the party.

When Kenyatta 1 came back to the country, Thungu was appointed to be his personal guard.
Dec 28, 2024 • 23 tweets • 5 min read
To answer this question, allow us to go back to 1963:

When the attainment of independence was nigh, there were two main contentious issues:
1. What kind of government Kenya was to have once political power was handed over by the British.
2. Who would occupy the White Highlands. Based on the second issue, arose the question of where the displaced farm laborers would be re-settled.
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Jun 24, 2024 • 10 tweets • 6 min read
1/ Tomorrow we march again in the streets to protest in the Mother of all protests to reject the finance bill. As we stand up for our rights, let’s draw inspiration from our rich history of protests and a revolutionary spirit. #TOTALShutDowKE Image 2/ Let’s start 100 years ago. In 1922 Harry Thuku was arrested for leading countrywide activism against colonialism. Tens of thousands of Kenyans turned up at today’s Central Police Station, led by Muthoni Nyanjiru to ask for his release. #TOTALShutDowKE
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Sep 24, 2022 • 27 tweets • 5 min read
Scene One:

2001.
 Close to 7:00 PM.

A lift hurtles up to the 19th floor of Lonrho house, Standard Street, Nairobi.

Inside the confined space are three dudes.

One is tall, like, really tall, and skinny.
Lanky is the word.

The one beside him is short and visibly shy. Early signs show that he would be plump later in life. He is not thaaaat short, but standing next to Tall Dude, he looks just about Mwala’s height. Tall Dude and Shy Dude look as hood as hood gets. Effortlessly.

Dude 3 is not hood at all.

Or, at least, does not look it.
Sep 20, 2022 • 62 tweets • 10 min read
On an unidentified day, a week no one seems to place, a month that has disappeared into the woodwork of history, roughly 2000 years ago, a man went down a road towards a city.

Around him were loud crowds, livestock, and men with weapons. He was riding on a mule. Roughly one thousand nine hundred years later. On 12th January 1908, another man was riding toward what would become a major town. He was surrounded by men with weapons and thousands upon thousands of cattle.

He, too, was riding on a mule.
Sep 19, 2022 • 60 tweets • 8 min read
“Soldiers!
Alert!
Whatever happens, kumbuka:
WE HAVE THE MAXIM GUN!
THEY DO NOT!
Engage!
At the count of three,
KILL ‘EM ALL!”

Nairobi was in trouble on March 16th, 1922.

The town was at a standstill. Shops were closed streets were empty and activity had paralyzed. Captain Lumley, the acting assistant Commissioner of Police, was scared stiff.

Over eight thousand angry Africans were charging towards him, thundering... Their feet falling on the ground sounded and felt like an earthquake.