Koigi wa Wamwere (born 18 December 1949 in Rugongo, Nakuru District) is a Kenyan politician, human rights activist, journalist and writer.
Koigi's father (then aged 4) and his family were among the evicted and had to move to Rift Valley Province, an area traditionally inhabited by Maasai people.
[1] Koigi was born in 1949 in Rugongo location, Bahati division, Nakuru District, Rift Valley Province.
[2] Wamwere excelled in school and received a scholarship to Cornell University in the United States in the early 70s,[1] first becoming interested in politics during his studies there.
[2] He wrote an article that was critical of Jomo Kenyatta in the Sunday Post, and was subsequently detained in 1975 and held in prison for three years.
[4] In December 1978, after Kenyatta had died, the new president Daniel arap Moi released Wamwere together with Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Martin Shikuku.
[5] He was elected to the parliament in 1979 by winning the Nakuru North Constituency, this time defeating the incumbent MP Kihika Kimani.
He was released on 13 December 1996 due to health issues after international condemnation and protests by activists led by Koigi's own mother.