Nairobi

Famous Citizens

As the political, cultural, and commercial center of Kenya, Nairobi has a long list of famous citizens. Many people living in Nairobi may identify their ancestral village as home; however, Nairobi is considered the second home, if not first home, for most of the country's leading personalities.

A.M. Jevanjee (1861–1923), real estate tycoon and businessman who started the Africa Standard, Kenya ' s first newspaper, created the Jevanjee Gardens, and served as a representative of the Indian community in the colonial Legislative Council.

Baroness Karen Blixen-Finecke (1885–1962), writer, also known by her pen name Isak Dinesen, who moved to Nairobi in 1918 and wrote the novel Out of Africa.

Jomo Kenyatta (1890–1978), Kenya ' s first president and a dominant figure in the Kenyan nationalist movement, jailed in the 1950s by the colonial government for alleged connections to the Mau Mau.

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga (1911–94), famous politician and one time vice-president, who was dismissed from the government for quarreling with Kenyatta, but who remained a leader of the political opposition until his death.

Daniel arap Moi (b. 1924), president of Kenya, who took over power in 1978 when Kenyatta died.

Tom Mboya (1930–69), staunch trade unionist, founder of the Kenya Federation of Labor, and principal leader in Kenya's independence movement, who was assassinated in 1969.

Ngugi wa Thiong'o (b. 1938), famous novelist imprisoned and exiled for political reasons.

Richard Leakey (b. 1944), palaeoathropologist who has served as director of the Kenya Department of Wild-life Services and who discovered crania of Austropithecus boisei (1969), Homo habilis (1972), and Homo erectus (1975).

Meja Mwangi (b. 1948), outstanding writer, winner of the Jomo Kenyatta Prize.