On May 30, 2003, President Mwai Kibaki’s government warmly welcomed a man identified as General Stanley Mathenge at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
This individual, who had arrived from Ethiopia, was paraded at the airport in front of a large crowd eager to see him.
He was welcomed by a huge delegation of government officials and politicians, including Nakuru MP at the time, Koigi wa Wamwere.
After the grand reception at the airport, the 84-year-old man was taken to the Sarova Panafric Hotel, where he spent seven days with his family, who had accompanied him to Kenya.
Government Welcomes Man Mistaken for General Stanley Mathenge
The State also invited him as a guest of honor during the June 1 Madaraka Day celebrations.
His arrival generated public interest and excitement because Mathenge was believed to have disappeared in 1955. He was among the Mau Mau freedom fighters and was regarded as a national hero.
It was reported that he fled to Ethiopia after a fallout with fellow leader Dedan Kimathi over leadership and strategy. He reportedly left the Aberdare Forest and crossed into Ethiopia, possibly via northern Kenya routes like Isiolo or Marsabit.
Also Read: Today in History: When Two Ministers Died in an Aircraft Crash Barely Three Months in Office
However, it later emerged that the man posing as General Stanley Mathenge was actually named Lemma Ayanu, a peasant farmer from Ethiopia. The government secretly deported him back to Ethiopia after his visit.
During his stay in Kenya, Ayanu could not speak Kikuyu, Kiswahili, or English. This raised questions about who he really was.
In 2007, a parliamentary debate concerning the identity of the individual paraded at JKIA determined that Lemma Ayanu was not the real General Mathenge.
Parliament Confirms Man Welcomed by the State was Not Mathenge
DNA tests conducted in South Africa confirmed that he was unlikely to be related to Mirugi William Wamugunda and Martha Nyawira, who are siblings of the long-lost General Mathenge.
The Assistant Minister for Internal Security, Joseph Kahindi Kingi, revealed to Parliament that a total of Kshs 165,650 was spent on Ayanu’s accommodation during his stay in Kenya. The cost of the DNA test at the time was approximately South African Rand 1,350, equivalent to Kshs 13,400.
Also Read: Today in History: When Mungiki Spokesperson Was Shot Dead in Nairobi
Several MPs, including Kisumu Town East MP Gor Sungu, criticized the government’s decision to give this impersonator a lavish welcome.
“I am concerned that the whole Government of the Republic of Kenya can make such a mistake by putting up a lavish airport reception, complete with publicity, both local and international, on what turned out to be fake,” the MP said.
Lemma Ayanu reportedly passed away in 2010 in Ethiopia. Several media reports indicate that Mathenge’s widow, Miriam Muthoni, sought permission to bury him, despite DNA tests definitively ruling out any biological relation to the freedom fighter.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
