Bildad Kaggia and the Struggle for Socialism in Kenya 1921 - 2005

"Since the days of my primary school, I have always been a fighter," said Bildad Kaggia. Like Makhan Singh and Pio Gama Pinto, Bildad Kaggia struggled against imperialism in all its phases: capitalism, colonialism and neo-colonialism, first gainst British colonialism, then against the comprador government of lom enyatta imposed by imperialism on the working people of Keny

While many gave up the struggle at independence and joined Kenyatta in looting the land and condemning workers and peasants to landlessness and poverty, Bildad Kaggia preferred to continue the struggle and live the life of a peasant. That example remains to this day for the post-independence generations.

Kaggia was active in Mau Mau, in the trade union movement, in writing and publishing. He added a cultural and religious aspect to his struggle. He ended up in colonial detention but refused to give up the struggle for the aims of Mau Mau. He was a member of its Central Committee.

Imperialism has used the comprador governments to distort and hide Kaggia's contribution to the struggle for the liberation of Kenya. They prevented the full publication of his autobiography which appeared as Roots of Freedom, but stopped the story in 1963, removing his struggle against the comprador government. This gap was finally filled in 2012 with the publication of The Struggle for Freedom and Justice.

March 7, 2026 marked the 21st anniversary of Bildad Kaggia's death. We publish a collection of essays to mark his life and record his contribution to the liberation of Kenya. His clear ideological stand and actions to achieve his vision of a Kenya with freedom and justice for working people is what scared imperialism and the comprador governments. Generations born after independence need his history to support their own struggles against capitalism and imperialism.