Published Paper Details:

The Trial of Dedan Kimathi, a pivotal work by Ngugi wa Thiong'o and Micere Githae Mugo, reimagines Kenya's struggle for independence during the Mau Mau Movement. The Trial of Dedan Kimathi is a representative East African drama that serves as a model for African historical plays dedicated to challenging incorrect preconceptions about Africans' historical lineage. The intent of the paper is to present the authors' intention to explore historical misconceptions about Kenya that marginalise the popular struggle that led to the country's independence and how memory is employed in the play to refute and oppose official accounts of history. The paper emphasises how the play acts as a channel for the collective memory of the Kenyan independence movement and the Mau Mau Movement. By situating The Trial of Dedan Kimathi within the broader discourse of decolonial hope and planetary sustainability, the paper aims to show how the play not only recounts historical struggles but also offers a vision for a future shaped by solidarity and transformation. The decolonial notion of hope, as portrayed in the play, emerges as a praxis that re-centers erased non-hegemonic histories and knowledge, crucial for planetary recovery and healing.