By Nyang’au Araka
As Gusii elders staged a peaceful demonstration in Kisii over the weekend and called for the repatriation of Otenyo Nyamaterere’s head, memories of a similar return of Patrice Lumumba’s tooth by Belgium emerged.
The symbolic act in Congo reminded many that ancestral remains taken during colonial times can—and should—be returned, allowing communities to reclaim dignity, perform rituals, and honour their heroes.
“Otenyo sacrificed himself so our people could live with dignity,” said Prof. John Akama, former Vice-Chancellor of Kisii University. “They took his head, spear, and shield to the UK. We want them back, and we want him recognised as a hero.”
History records that in February 1908, Otenyo, armed only with a spear and unshakable courage, wounded British colonial administrator Geoffrey Northcote before being captured, tortured, and executed at what is now Gusii Stadium.
His head was severed and shipped to London, while his body was displayed publicly to instil fear before it was buried. Rather than erasing his legacy, this brutality immortalised Otenyo, and across generations, his name has been given to sons in many Gusii families.
Beyond that, his story is retold, and his courage celebrated as the heartbeat of Gusii resistance.
The Gusii community’s call for the repatriation of Otenyo’s head follows a growing global precedent. In Australia, over 1,300 First Nations ancestors have been returned from UK institutions. Oxford, Edinburgh, and London museums have handed back remains after careful provenance research and consultation with Indigenous communities. The UK’s Human Tissue Act of 2004 removed barriers that once prevented such returns, embracing the principle that human remains are not “specimens” but ancestors deserving dignity.
Decades after his assassination, Belgium returned Patrice Lumumba’s tooth, which had been kept as a colonial trophy, enabling the Congolese to perform closure rituals and honour their independence hero.
“If Lumumba’s tooth could be returned, why not Otenyo’s head?” asked George Nyakundi, chairman of the Mwanyagetinge Heritage Council. “The spirit of Otenyo is restless. His head must come home.”
Kisii County Assembly member Samson Nyagaka Matoke previously petitioned for the return of Otenyo’s head in 2013, highlighting its immense cultural value and framing it as a step towards justice for colonial atrocities. The call has grown louder with each generation, culminating in the Sunday march.
For the Gusii, reclaiming Otenyo’s head would restore a vital part of their history, allow sacred rituals long denied, and affirm that colonial violence cannot dictate the terms of remembrance, according to those pushing for it.
