BIRTH
Our beloved Dad Francis Muiruri (Kibandi) Guchu was born on Friday February 18, 1955 in Karinga village, Kamahuha Sub-location, Sabasaba Location, Maragua Constituency in Murang’a County. He was the firstborn child of Joseph Guchu Muiruri and Loise Waithira Guchu.
NAMING AND CHILDHOOD
Francis being his Christian baptismal name, he was named Muiruri after his paternal grandfather and also adopted his father’s name Guchu as his surname. His alias name ‘Kibandi’ was derived from the name of his age-set (Riika in Agikuyu dialect). Traditionally, there was a circumcision ceremony for boys organised by age-sets of about five-year periods. The circumcision group was given a name that identified it with a particular event characteristic of that period. Boys circumcised throughout that period would become part of the same riika (age-set) and given the names of that riika.
In his time, many age-sets were named after the British colonial Kipande System, introduced to Kenya in 1921. Under the system, every male native had to get registered, finger-printed and issued with a certificate called a Kipande when they became sixteen years old, so that upon request he should be able to pull out his Kipande to show the government official. The Kipande was used to monitor the movement of Africans or to prevent them from escaping forced labour.
Unto many from his younger years, he was popularly known as Kibandi wa Guchu, while those he later worked with called him Chifu – owing to the many years he served as Administrative Chief for Kamahuha Location. Some of his close friends also called him Baddie because of his huge physique.
His childhood can best be described as industrious. Young Kibandi worked hard, doing errands in his parents’ business in Kamahuha town centre in order to make a few coins.