After a year-long wait, the much-anticipated film ‘Our Land, Our Freedom’ premiered in Kenya at the NBO Film Festival.
The documentary follows Wanjugu Kimathi, daughter of renowned freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi, and her late mother, Mukami Kimathi, as they struggle to resettle displaced freedom fighters denied the land they fought for, while also searching for Dedan’s remains.
This gripping documentary reveals the violence of colonialism and the unresolved land disputes still haunting Kenya half a century after independence.
KBC Digital caught up with the award-winning directors, Meena Nanji and Zippy Kimundu to talk about their eight-year endeavour making the film and the lessons they learned along the way.
What inspired you to create this documentary?
Meena: I was born in Kenya but our family moved away when I was very young. Then in 2012, I read ‘The British Gulag’ by Caroline Elkins, and I was shocked by the brutal history hidden behind colonial narratives.
Schools, both here and abroad, teach about British achievements without mentioning the violence it took to maintain the colonial regime.
I was truly shocked because I had no idea about detention camps, concentration camps, or brutality.
So, I wanted to tell Kenya’s story from a Kenyan point of view, and years later I came to Kenya looking for a partner to work with and in the meantime met Wanjugu Kimathi and she agreed to do a film about the independence struggle.
I had sworn never to do documentaries again but then I met a few people to work with and one of them was Zippy and my direction changed. So that was the motivation for doing the project.
Zippy: Yeah, when Meena approached me I was trying to adapt Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s Weep Not Child as a fiction film but I could not find enough information.
I realized collaborating on this documentary would allow us to tell a powerful, untold story from the perspectives of the freedom fighters.
I thought we would finish it within one or two years but it ended up taking eight years.
We premiered it last year in November at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) and we have been travelling with it since then across the world and getting really interesting feedback.
Why did it take eight years to complete?
Zippy: Initially we wanted to follow the Mau Mau veterans to get their stories, Meena has an experimental background while I have a fictional background so we thought this would be like a cool art project but not in a documentary style.
However, as Wanjugu’s focus shifted toward mobilizing land resettlement for freedom fighters, the story evolved. Wanjugu was carrying the mantle for her mother in this struggle so we decided to follow her story as she grew into an amazing community leader.
Meena: Exactly, I mean other factors also made it take a long time. Building trust takes time but Wanjugu and her mother Mukami were very generous in introducing us to many different freedom fighter communities around the country.
Funding also took a bit of time, our film is completely financed by grants and we have no investors so that took time as well.
The pandemic also delayed us since we had to take a break in 2020.
In the end, though, the journey allowed us to capture a richer narrative – one we couldn’t have anticipated if the story had not progressed.
What insights did you gain from the female freedom fighters?
Zippy: We featured Mukami’s story a lot in this film and other freedom fighters but we know there are a lot of other strong women who deserve a story by themselves.
These women played pivotal roles in the struggle beyond caregiving, they were also spies, strategists, and coordinators.
Despite their importance, their contributions are often overlooked in history.
Meena: Meeting these women was humbling. I am a feminist but I realised how biased I was when meeting these communities, I would approach the men first but then the women sitting there would constantly chime in as we spoke and I realised how passionate they also were about the fight for freedom.
They’re in their 80s and 90s, yet they remain politically aware and articulate. Their intelligence work during the independence struggle was key, they had access where men couldn’t go.
It was eye-opening to see how deeply they still care about the country’s future.
So having learnt all this, what is your view on Kenya’s historical education?
Meena: Kenya’s curriculum still reflects colonial biases. It is time this colonial education in Kenya stopped.
It’s time we teach history from Kenyan perspectives. Our film, and many others like Battle for Laikipia aim to provide that missing narrative. If we give future generations an authentic account of their past, they can aspire to make Kenya better. Europe is no longer the model – we must create our own.
Why did you choose the title ‘Our Land Our Freedom’?
Zippy: Land is deeply connected to freedom. The issue of land today is rooted in the colonial system.
Many fighters were promised land but never received it, while those loyal to the British were rewarded. We’re not demanding land back but it is crucial to acknowledge the roots of these issues.
Meena: Exactly, we were thinking about calling it ‘Our Land Is Our Freedom’ but we thought that might be a little provocative.
Land is not just property; it carries a spiritual connection. Losing it is like losing a family member. Without land, people are trapped in wage labour and poverty, breaking a vital bond between land and community.
Zippy: Our land is where we bury loved ones. It is inheritance and ancestral connection.
How did your collaboration shape the project?
Zippy: (laughing) Collaboration is a marriage, there are highs and lows. This film would never have been what it is today if we didn’t come together and also bring in other partners.
It was part of our life for a long time and despite our different styles, we always prioritized the film, and that’s why we’re celebrating it today.
Meena: We also shared a common goal – to bring this overlooked history to life. We had to see it through.
Zippy: Yes, and the trust the freedom fighters placed in us was invaluable, and we had to work hard to honour their stories.
What has the response been so far?
Zippy: This is the film’s first screening in Kenya, and we’re excited to see how people react.
The purpose was to bring it home but we knew that when we travelled around with it we would gain a bit of support.
Globally, it has resonated with audiences who did not know about this history. Many people were deeply moved by the film’s portrayal of the mother-daughter relationship.
Meena: I hope the film prompts viewers to rethink colonialism, not just in Kenya but worldwide. Current issues, like the situation in Gaza, are rooted in colonial history. The consequences of colonialism are playing out in real-time. Understanding these connections enriches our understanding of the present.
Zippy: We also hope people enjoy it!
