Who was Dedan Kimathi?

Queen Victoria's declaration of Kenya as a British protectorate in 1895 enticed many British settlers to usurp the choicest parcels of Kenyan land, resulting in a struggle with natives like the Kikuyu, Embu, and Meru people. In the mid-20th century, the natives' resentment of minority rule escalated into what the British media pejoratively termed the "Mau Mau Uprising." Dedan Kimathi Waciuri eventually emerged as a famous revolutionary figure and national hero in Kenya during this time, leading an armed insurrection against the British colonial empire.
Born in the country's Nyeri District, Central Province on October 31st, 1920, Kimathi pursued his education through primary and secondary school, but also consistently found himself in trouble with his instructors. He enlisted in the British army in 1940 but was quickly discharged for inappropriate behavior and a predilection for violence toward his fellow soldiers. These antisocial tendencies created trouble for him across a wide array of occupations but proved ideal for his eventual destiny as a freedom fighter.
His early forays into the struggle began when he joined the Kenya African Union (KAU) in the late 1940’s, which used nonviolent means to achieve political and personal rights for Kenyans. By 1950, he had become secretary of the Ol Kalou branch where fervent supporters of the Mau Mau cause ruled supreme. His associations with these supporters eventually caused him to join the militant Forty Group in 1951, and by 1952, he was being targeted by the colonial rulers thanks to his guerilla warfare tactics and activities.
In 1953, he founded the Kenya Defence Council to mobilize and orchestrate local freedom fighters. As the conflict continued, local Kikuyu people who were weary from years of bloodshed, and Mau Mau war crimes became divided over their support for Kimathi, with as many calling him a terrorist as a hero. This caused many Kikuyus to join the ranks of the British military in order to stop the Mau Mau.
Kimathi was eventually captured by a posse under the command of British officer Ian Henderson (dubbed "The Butcher of Bahrain") on October 21, 1956 and charged with carrying a loaded revolver. He was sentenced to death by a jury of all black Kenyans. On February 18, 1957, he was sent to the gallows at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison and executed by hanging. His remains were tossed into an unmarked grave. However, he is still honored in memory and name throughout much of Kenya.
https://africasacountry.com/2016/03/the-hunt-for-the-trial-of-dedan-kimathi/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dedan_Kimathi