Jeff Koinange Opens Up on Family’s Painful Colonial-Era Detentions
Citizen TV journalist Jeff Koinange has opened up about his family’s painful past, recalling how colonial authorities detained his father, grandfather, and several relatives during Kenya’s struggle for independence.
Speaking on Hot 96 FM’s morning show on Friday, December 12, Jeff shared emotional memories of the sacrifices his family made under British rule.
Father and Grandfather Spent 16 Years in Detention
Jeff revealed that colonial authorities detained his father, the late Fredrick Mbiu Koinange, for seven years without trial. They also held his grandfather for nine years, bringing the family’s combined detention period to 16 years.
He said the colonial government denied detainees parole, trials, or any assurance of release, using indefinite detention to break both prisoners and the families they left behind.
“My dad spent seven years in detention, and my grandfather spent nine. Together, they lost 16 years,” Jeff said.
Deep Roots in the Independence Struggle
Jeff noted that his father was the son of Chief Mbiu Koinange, a key figure in Kenya’s independence movement. His parents married four years before independence, at a time when the country remained under colonial rule.
15 Other Relatives Also Detained
The veteran journalist disclosed that colonial authorities also detained about 15 other family members during the pre-independence era.
He said their combined detention periods could exceed 100 years.
“If you add up all the years my relatives spent in detention, the total reaches nearly a century. There was no parole,” Jeff said.
Emotional Independence Day Moment
Jeff recalled that his father attended the independence celebrations at Uhuru Gardens on December 12, 1963. He later broke down in tears as he watched Kenya attain freedom.
Jeff said his mother later told the family that his father wept openly, overwhelmed by memories of detention, pain, and sacrifice.
“He struggled to believe that Kenya was finally free,” Jeff said.
