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Monica Wangu Wamwere -- The Unbroken Spirit is the story of a woman who sought justice for her family and for her country, Kenya. It is a story of courage and determination. Above all, it is the story of a mother's unconditional love.
"Mama Koigi" as she became popularly known led the Release Political Prisoners group in a dramatic hunger strike seeking the release of her three detained sons and 48 other political prisoners under Kenya's one party rule in 1992. Mama Koigi, with no formal education, started the Release Political Prisoners group to push for her sons' release. She invited the mothers of other political prisoners to join her. She,with the other mothers, chained themselves together in symbolic solidarity and marched to the Attorney General of Kenya's offices to present him with a petition for the prisoners' release. They went on a hunger strike at what is now famously known
as Freedom Corner. On the fourth day, the police brutally assaulted the mothers who defiantly protested by stripping naked -- a curse in African tradition -- as sons should never see their mothers naked. The police forcefully transported the mothers back to their rural homes.
Mama Koigi returned the following day and the mothers regrouped at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi which the police stormed in an attempt to evict the protesting mothers. Eventually, the government relented. Even after her sons' release, Mama Koigi stayed on until the last of the political prisoners were freed. She camped at the All Saints Cathedral for more than a year.
In their struggle for multiparty democracy, Mama Koigi's sons would again be
detained. They faced treason charges and the hangman's noose. This time around,Mama Koigi found herself fighting for her sons alone. Mama Koigi prevailed and her sons were released from detention a second time.
"Mama Koigi" as she became popularly known led the Release Political Prisoners group in a dramatic hunger strike seeking the release of her three detained sons and 48 other political prisoners under Kenya's one party rule in 1992. Mama Koigi, with no formal education, started the Release Political Prisoners group to push for her sons' release. She invited the mothers of other political prisoners to join her. She,with the other mothers, chained themselves together in symbolic solidarity and marched to the Attorney General of Kenya's offices to present him with a petition for the prisoners' release. They went on a hunger strike at what is now famously known
as Freedom Corner. On the fourth day, the police brutally assaulted the mothers who defiantly protested by stripping naked -- a curse in African tradition -- as sons should never see their mothers naked. The police forcefully transported the mothers back to their rural homes.
Mama Koigi returned the following day and the mothers regrouped at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi which the police stormed in an attempt to evict the protesting mothers. Eventually, the government relented. Even after her sons' release, Mama Koigi stayed on until the last of the political prisoners were freed. She camped at the All Saints Cathedral for more than a year.
In their struggle for multiparty democracy, Mama Koigi's sons would again be
detained. They faced treason charges and the hangman's noose. This time around,Mama Koigi found herself fighting for her sons alone. Mama Koigi prevailed and her sons were released from detention a second time.
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