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Google Honours Kenyan Freedom Fighter Mekatilili wa Menza

The legendary freedom fighter Mekatilili wa Menza, who led the coastal Giriama people to resist British colonial rule in the early 20th century, was honoured by a Google doodle in a move widely welcomed by social media users in the country. "(She) had a heart that was full of passion. Passion for freedom. Freedom against the oppressors of her people. We remember that her resistance quest led to her imprisonment in a far land in western Kenya, and that she had to walk 965 kilometres to get back to her land after escaping from the prison," Ms Dorothy Ooko, Google's head of communications and public affairs for Africa, said in a statement to newsrooms.

Google

Mekatilili wa Menza's Doodle, illustrated by Nairobi-based guest artist Wanjira Kinyua, celebrates legendary Kenyan activist Mekatilili wa Menza, known for inspiring the Giriama people to resist colonial rule in the early 20th century. Today on the Kenyan coast, the resilient legacy of Menza is commemorated during the festivities of the traditional Malindi Cultural Festival, an annual celebration of local history and pride.

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