Go down history lane and learn about a Kenyan hero we rarely hear about-Makhan Singh.
Makhan Singh Jabbal (27 December 1913 - 18 May 1973) was a Kenyan labour union leader who laid the foundations of trade unionism in Kenya and played a vital role in the Kenyan Freedom Struggle. He was detained by British colonialists for 11 years, the longest political detention in Kenya's history.
Born in Gharjakh, Punjab, Singh moved to Nairobi in 1927, he participated in the Indian Freedom Movement in Kenya. Singh was jailed in Gujarat and later became the secretary of the Indian Trade Union in 1935. He renamed it the Labour Trade Union of Kenya, promoting inclusivity.
Singh called for "Uhuru Sasa" (Freedom Now) in 1945, demanding British independence for East Africa. In 1949, he co-founded the East African Trade Union Congress. He was arrested in 1950 after demanding British withdrawal from Kenya. Later in life, he became a social recluse and wrote about Kenya's trade union history. He died in 1973.
The opening of the Makhan Singh Exhibition at the Nairobi Gallery is happening on Sunday, 28th July 2024, from 3:00 PM and is open to the public. The exhibition, organized by the South Asian Mosaic of Society and the Arts (SAMOSA Festival), is open to the public. Books on Makhan Singh's life by the late Zarina Patel will be on sale.
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