Image Source: Kenya News Agency
Early morning on a Friday, as fog holds to the verdant highlands of Kangema, a team follows the steps of the first Christian missionaries to Central Kenya-a path that irrevocably shifted the face of the region's spiritual, social, and economic landscape. Tuthu village, which lies deep within Murang'a County, is the hub of this revolution, where more than a century ago, the Consolata Missionaries set up the first mission station, which heralded the arrival of Christianity in the wider central region and beyond.
A Journey Back in Time
The account is vividly told by 86-year-old priest Fr Luigi Brambilla, who has lived in Kenya for over five decades and today is a living bridge between the two generations. Having mastered the Kikuyu language and being well-informed about local traditions, he can link history with the present, as thousands of pilgrims travel to Tuthu every year to reflect and pray at the location where the first mass was said on June 29, 1902.
The Paramount Chief Karuri Gakure's Role
It was thanks to the visionary work of Paramount Chief Karuri Gakure that this turning point in history occurred. Whilst the British colonial state was building the railway around Naivasha, Chief Karuri provided food to Indian workers and, in return, acquired livestock, thereby increasing his standing within the area. The missionaries' teachings and medical services impressed Chief Karuri, who invited Fr Fillippo Perlo and the other recently arrived Consolata missionaries from Italy to establish themselves in Tuthu when the latter's attempt to enter Ethiopia failed.
Establishing the First Mission
With the protection of the chief and the land, the missionaries ventured into the dangerous Aberdare forests to arrive in Tuthu. There, in a large mugumo tree's shade, they conducted their first mass, and not long after, built a school, church, and dispensary. These became pillars of change, bringing formal education, healthcare, and new farming practices to the local people.
Lasting Impact and Gains
The coming of the missionaries brought deep and lasting impacts on Central Kenya:
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Spread of Christianity: Due to the efforts of the missionaries, Christian congregations spread rapidly as locals converted and incorporated faith into their daily lives.
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Education: The missionaries founded some of the first schools and imparted literacy and basic education and created written scripts for local dialects.
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Healthcare: The initial dispensaries provided long-awaited medical care and treated diseases with the aim of bettering public health.
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Economic and Social Development: Missionaries brought new agricultural methods and set up sawmills to fund the building of additional schools and churches, stimulating economic development.
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Cultural Exchange: The absorption of the missionaries into the local population, acquiring the culture and language, promoted mutual respect and understanding, even though it introduced problems with traditional ways meeting new religions.
Living Legacy
Nowadays, the Tuthu memorial chapel is a symbol of the resilience and foresight of the missionaries as well as local chiefs such as Chief Karuri, who was baptized by the Consolata fathers and lies buried alongside the chapel. Generations on, the religion and institutions founded by these early visionaries still influence the region, as exemplified in the lives of people such as Henry Kambi, who owes his family's Christian beliefs and schooling to the legacy of the missionaries.
"This narrative cannot be told without paying tribute to the critical contribution of the Paramount Chief Karuri Gakure, who with a mind for vision-filled leadership invited the Consolata missionaries and presented them with land and security in Tuthu." - Fr Luigi Brambilla
Sources: Kenyanews.go.ke, Remedialcorner.com, DACB.org
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