A Leadership Gallery Exploring The Legacy Of Kenya's Founding Father And First President.
Mzee Jomo Kenyatta (c. 1894 to 1978) was the Founding Father of the Kenyan nation. He served as the first Prime Minister from 1963 to 1964, and as the first President of independent Kenya from 1964 to 1978. Kenyans came to call him Mzee, a Kiswahili word for a wise and respected elder. He is remembered as the leader who carried Kenya from colonial rule into sovereign nationhood.
He led the Kenya African Union (KAU) and later the Kenya African National Union (KANU), guiding the political movement that demanded self-determination. His call of Harambee, meaning pulling together, became a national rallying cry for unity, education, and shared development across communities.
A committed Pan-Africanist, Mzee Kenyatta worked alongside other African statesmen to advance independence and continental cooperation. As Head of State and Commander-in-Chief, he laid the foundations of Kenya's institutions, public service, and global standing.
He was awarded the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (CGH), the nation's highest honour. The gallery brings together photographs, personal effects, speeches, and archival materials that trace his leadership and the early years of the Republic.
