Wanjiru Kihoro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
September 9, 1953
Wanjirū Kìhoro | |
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| Born | Grace Wanjirū Kìhoro September 9, 1953 |
| Died | October 12, 2006 (aged 53) Nairobi, Kenya |
| Burial place | Nyeri, Kenya |
| Citizenship | Kenya |
| Education |
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| Alma mater | |
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| Years active | 1982 - 2003 |
| Organizations |
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| Known for |
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| Notable work | Kenya News |
| Spouse | Wanyiri Kihoro |
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Wanjirū Kìhoro (9 September 1953 – 12 October 2006) was an economist, writer and feminist activist from Kenya. She was one of the founders of the pan-African women's organisation Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) and the for the Release of Political Prisoners in Kenya (CRPPK), to protest the incarceration of Kenyans during Daniel arap Moi's regime.[1][2]
Kìhoro graduated in economics from Columbia University, New York. She went on to complete an MA in development studies and a PhD at Leeds University during her working life in the late 1980s.[1][2]
In 1982, Kìhoro and her husband settled in London on exile from Kenya, at a time when Moi's arrests of dissidents had intensified, particularly of lawyers and academics. This is when she helped found the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners in Kenya (CRPPK). With other activists, Kihoro produced and wrote for Kenya News, which was then investigated by Moi's government. She began work for The Africa Centre, London in 1984. Other work involved the All African Conference of Churches, the National Christian Council of Kenya and the United Church Board for World Ministries.[1][2]
In 1985, she co-founded Akina Mama wa Afrika as a community-based organisation for African women. In 1992, she helped found ABANTU for Development to train African women for positions of leadership. ABANTU was set up in Nairobi, Kenya, with subsequent offices set up in Nigeria and Ghana.[3]
She returned to Kenya with her family when the new Kibaki government came to power in 2002.[1][2]
