Bahá'í Faith in Kenya
Encyclopedia
The Bahá'í Faith in Kenya begins with three individuals. First Richard St. Barbe Baker
took a constructive engagement with the indigenous religion of Kenyans to a United Kingdom
conference on religions where in sympathy with his efforts he was presented with the Bahá'í Faith and became a convert. The second was Enoch Olinga
who traveled to Kenya
when he served in the British Royal Army Educational Corps
. The third came twenty one years after the first and marks the arrival of the Bahá'í Faith in Kenya. In 1945 Mrs. Marguerite Preston (née Wellby) arrived in Kenya. She had been a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom from 1939 through 1945 when she married a Kenyan tea grower and moved to Kenya where the couple had three children in two years and she was the only Bahá'í in the nation. The Association of Religion Data Archives
(relying on World Christian Encyclopedia
) estimated about 368,000 in 2005.
, where Richard St. Barbe Baker had served in France, St. Barbe went to Cambridge University and earned a degree in Forestry
at Caius College. He then went to Kenya in 1920 to serve under the Colonial Office as Assistant Conservator of Forests. There he saw the wide scale deforestation
going on. St. Barbe also intervened in a case of a colonial officer against a Kikuyu worker - taking a blow aimed at the worker which would eventually alienate him from the service. He developed a plan for re-forestation where food crops were planted between rows of young native trees. Because of lack of funds St. Barbe consulted with the Kenyans themselves, approaching the Kikuyu Chiefs and Elders, and together they arranged for three thousand tribal warriors to come to his camp and with the assistance of the Chiefs fifty were selected to be the first Men of the Trees
. They promised before Ngai
, the High God, that they would protect the native forest, plant ten native trees each year, and take care of trees everywhere. Immediately then leaving Kenya St. Barbe offered a paper at a Congress of Living Religions in the Commonwealth about the Bantu religion following which he was introduced to the Bahá'í Faith because of "his genuine interest in another's religion struck a sympathetic chord with the Bahá'í principles." On going to Palestine
for pilgrimage
he engaged leaders of religions in the Men of the Trees initiative including Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith Shoghi Effendi
, the Chancellor of the Hebrew University, the Grand Mufti
of the Supreme Muslim Council
, Orthodox
and Catholic
patriarchs. St. Barbe returned to Kenya briefly in 1976 when he acted as a special adviser to the Bahá'í delegation at a UN conference in Nairobi, in 1976.
Uganda
's Enoch Olinga
in 1941 joined the British Royal Army Educational Corps and served in Nairobi
, capital of Kenya. On return to Uganda he married and encountered the Bahá'í Faith in 1951. He would later become a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh
pioneering
to Cameroon
, then serving on National Spiritual Assemblies and being named the youngest Hand of the Cause. For his role in waves of Knights and the pace of the expansion of the religion in Sub-Saharan Africa
he was named "Father of Victories" by Shoghi Effendi
. See also Bahá'í Faith in Uganda
.
across Sub-Saharan Africa. Particular plans to bring the religion to Uganda began in 1950 involving the cooperation of American, British, Egyptian, and Persian Bahá'í communities and reached a level of coordination and detail that materials were translated into languages widely used in Africa before most pioneers reached Africa. In 1950-1 the Bahá'ís in the United Kingdom
pioneered to Tanganyika
, Uganda
, Kenya
. For example in the 1951 Ted Cardell left on 7 October as pioneer for Nairobi after the untimely death of Mrs. Preston's husband. In September 1951 youth Kimani Waiyaki is noted as visiting Green Acre
in the United States. Ted Cardell was perhaps the next pioneer to arrive in Kenya by April 1952. After receiving the news that Hand of the Cause Louis George Gregory
had died previously on July 31, a commemorative meeting for Gregory was held in Kampala
at which Kenyan pioneers joined with those from Uganda
) and twelve Africans. Mrs Preston and her eldest child were killed in a plane flight in early 1952 near Sicily. In December 1952 Persian pioneer 'Aziz Yazdi was able to settle in Nairobi and was joined by his wife and children by February 1953. Ursula Samandari, also a former member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom, was elected to the nine-member Local Spiritual Assembly of Nairobi in 1953. By 1955 there were eight assemblies in Kenya.
in western Kenya covering topics on Bahá'í administration
, Bahá'í history
and Bahá'í teachings
. Correspondence courses followed by June. By December there was progress in getting permanent centers established from among the assemblies. Extraordinary number of enrollments in Uganda and Kenya had reached the point that the institution of the Hands of the Cause were noting there were not enough Baha'is to keep up with the work of checking the enrollments - in the case of Kenya that was almost nearly twelve hundred people joined the religion in less than a year. Four regional conferences on the progress of the religion and weekend schools were held by early 1960. Hand of the Cause Musa Banani was the first Hand to visit Kenya in early 1960. Nine Kenyans were among the attendees at advanced training in 1960 though classes now used chapters from Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era by John Esslemont
while in November 1960 Hands of the Cause John Robarts
and Rahmatu'lláh Muhájir
toured Kenya leading up to the dedication of the mother Bahá'í House of Worship
of Africa in Uganda in January 1961. Kenyans were among the over 1500 people who attended. Following the dedication, Hand of the Cause Ruhiyyih Khanum and chairman of the regional National Assembly Ali Nakhjavani
embarked on 15 days of visiting Bahá'ís through Uganda and Kenya including seeing three regional conferences on the progress of the religion, staying in homes of fellow believers, and other events. Khanum talked to audiences about the future of African Bahá'ís and their role in the religion. The convention for the 1961 election of the regional national assembly of central and east Africa included 35 delegates from Kenya. In September 1961 a permanent Bahá'í school
was setup in Kenya where courses emphasized homecraft and child rearing mixed with presentations on the religion and men supported women taking the courses. News of the openings was covered in Jet Magazine
. By the end of 1961 conversions among pygmies
brought the membership of the community to about 4000 and a total of 134 assemblies. Samandari was elected to the regional National Spiritual Assembly of North East Africa (1961–70) before moving to Cameroon where she later died. In 1962 the Kenyan government took steps to officially recognize Bahá'í holy days for employees. In May Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga visited for one week in Kenya as part of an extended tour of many African countries. He spoke in Tiriki, Nandi, Nyangore, Kisii, Nairobi, Mombasa and Wundanyi. He then returned in August for another week's stay this time in Kabras. In October in addition to the permanent school weekend courses were offered emphasizing homecraft and child rearing mixed with presentations on the religion in Malakisi and Kimilili
, while a permanent center was opened in South Kabras.
By January 1963 the building at the Bahá'í center in Nairobi was rebuilt and planned on hosting advanced courses on the religion. In 10 years from the founding of the first local assembly, there were 118 Local Assemblies, 346 groups, and 131 isolated Bahá'ís in early 1963. Locations for Assemblies included Nairobi
, Kilifi
, with smaller groups in locations like Bungoma
, Busia
, Eldoret
, Embu, Kakamega
, Kericho
, Kisii
, Kitale
, Machakos
, Malindi
, Mombasa
, Kisumu
, Nyeri
, Thika
, Voi
, Webuye
, and Wundanyi
. By the end of 1963 a total of 134 assemblies and 4000 Bahá'ís had held steady since 1961. Upcoming for the community was the election of its own National Spiritual Assembly
.
observance by the office of the President of Kenya. In August Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khanum
toured Kenya and neighboring countries for an extended visit during which she met with Bahá'ís individually and collectively at regional conferences and civic leaders and was interviewed on a television program. After progressing with the tour in other countries she returned in mid-November where she met with more Bahá'ís and also dedicated Bahá'í centers. In 1972 Bahá'ís organized displays at an All-Africa trade show and held a March youth conference in Nakuru
. The youth conference was repeated in August. In early October 1972 Ruhiyyih Khánum and Violette Nakbjavani returned to Kenya after two trips across Africa - arriving in Mombasa and then stayed at week in Nairobi again with meetings for Baha'is and journalists. A one day conference was quickly assembled for youth. From Kenya they traveled to Malawi and on until their return in spring 1973. At that time they traveled for three weeks through the north east section of Kenya including Maralal
, Lake Rudolf, and Marsabit
before returning to Nairobi. In 1973 the National Spiritual Assembly of Kenya produced a songbook - "Tuimbe Pamoja, Baadhi ya Nyimbo za Baha'i". Following the convention for electing the national assembly in 1974 a national conference presented opportunities for participants from across Kenya to discuss a number of topics and classes were held on the role of the local assembly.
In January 1975 the Bahá'ís of Nakuru finished their center and its beautifications. In June youth organized an information booth at an agricultural show. In 1978-9 George Olinga, a son of Enoch Olinga
, moved to Kenya and in September 1979 became one of the few surviging members of the family. In 1984 the Malindi
region of Coast Province
was the fastest growing in conversions to the religion though several were growing quickly though Bungoma
was among the slowest (though nearby Kakamega
was on the high side.) In 1985 the extension goal of Kenya, the Bahá'ís of Comoro Islands
, founded by Mehraban Sohaili, a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for the Comoro Islands, reached a population of 60 members. In 1988 a Bahá'í from Kenya toured Malawi where she gave talks to several groups of people.
From 1966 to 1969 well known poet Roger White lived in Nairobi as a secretary for William and Margarite Sears and other Hands of the Cause
in Africa, and also dealt with a racist theatre troupe.
Attorney Helen Elsie Austin
lived in Africa as a US Foreign Service Officer
from 1960–1970, serving as a Cultural attaché
with the United States Information Agency
first in Lagos
, Nigeria
and later in Nairobi where she was also a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly.
In 1986 North American indigenous Bahá'í Lee Brown gave a talk which was recorded and transcribed - it includes his description of being in Kenya sometime before and linked Native American
, especially Hopi
, prophecies with the religion of the Kikuyu tribe of Kenya.
Artist Geraldine Robarts of the United Kingdom fled the Blitz
to South Africa where she grew to adulthood and became a Bahá'í. Robarts and family fled Apartheid to Uganda where she was a lecturer in the Makerere University
but then fled Idi Amin
, and then came to Kenya in 1972. She taught and was head of the department of Painting at Kenyatta University
. Starting as early as Uganda she worked with groups of artists to have their art appear in museums and developed a project for groups of women to show case their art as well as provide a mechanism for rural development work.
In honor of the Hand of the Cause Louis George Gregory
, a number of individuals in Kenya have sought to establish an Award named the Kisii Louis George Gregory Award.
In 2005 the World Christian Database estimated the Bahá'í population at about 368,000 or about 1% of the population.
Richard St. Barbe Baker
Richard St. Barbe Baker was an English forester, environmental activist and author, who contributed greatly to worldwide reforestation efforts. As a leader, he founded an organization, still active today, whose many chapters carry out reforestation internationally.-Early years:He was born in...
took a constructive engagement with the indigenous religion of Kenyans to a United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
conference on religions where in sympathy with his efforts he was presented with the Bahá'í Faith and became a convert. The second was Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga was born to an Anglican family of the Iteso ethnic group in Uganda. He became a Bahá'í, earned the title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh and was appointed as the youngest Hand of the Cause, the highest appointed position in the religion. He served the interests of the religion widely and...
who traveled to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
when he served in the British Royal Army Educational Corps
Royal Army Educational Corps
The Royal Army Educational Corps was a corps of the British Army tasked with educating and instructing personnel in a diverse range of skills...
. The third came twenty one years after the first and marks the arrival of the Bahá'í Faith in Kenya. In 1945 Mrs. Marguerite Preston (née Wellby) arrived in Kenya. She had been a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom from 1939 through 1945 when she married a Kenyan tea grower and moved to Kenya where the couple had three children in two years and she was the only Bahá'í in the nation. The Association of Religion Data Archives
Association of religion data archives
The Association of Religion Data Archives is a free source of online information related to American and international religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997, and online since 1998, the archive was initially targeted at researchers interested in American religion...
(relying on World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia is a reference work published by Oxford University Press, known for providing membership statistics for major and minor world religions in every country of the world, including historical data and projections of future populations.The first edition, by David B. Barrett,...
) estimated about 368,000 in 2005.
Before the coming of the Bahá'ís
Following the events of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, where Richard St. Barbe Baker had served in France, St. Barbe went to Cambridge University and earned a degree in Forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
at Caius College. He then went to Kenya in 1920 to serve under the Colonial Office as Assistant Conservator of Forests. There he saw the wide scale deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
going on. St. Barbe also intervened in a case of a colonial officer against a Kikuyu worker - taking a blow aimed at the worker which would eventually alienate him from the service. He developed a plan for re-forestation where food crops were planted between rows of young native trees. Because of lack of funds St. Barbe consulted with the Kenyans themselves, approaching the Kikuyu Chiefs and Elders, and together they arranged for three thousand tribal warriors to come to his camp and with the assistance of the Chiefs fifty were selected to be the first Men of the Trees
Men of the Trees
Men of the Trees is an international, non-profit, non-political, conservation organisation. It is involved in planting, maintenance and protection of trees. It was founded by Richard St. Barbe Baker. Also known as the International Tree Foundation....
. They promised before Ngai
Ngai
Ngai is the supreme God in the religions of the Kamba, Kikuyu and Maasai nationalities of Kenya....
, the High God, that they would protect the native forest, plant ten native trees each year, and take care of trees everywhere. Immediately then leaving Kenya St. Barbe offered a paper at a Congress of Living Religions in the Commonwealth about the Bantu religion following which he was introduced to the Bahá'í Faith because of "his genuine interest in another's religion struck a sympathetic chord with the Bahá'í principles." On going to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
for pilgrimage
Bahá'í pilgrimage
A Bahá'í pilgrimage currently consists of visiting the holy places in Haifa, Akká, and Bahjí at the Bahá'í World Centre in Northwest Israel. Bahá'ís do not have access to other places designated as sites for pilgrimage....
he engaged leaders of religions in the Men of the Trees initiative including Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
, the Chancellor of the Hebrew University, the Grand Mufti
Grand Mufti
The title of Grand Mufti refers to the highest official of religious law in a Sunni or Ibadi Muslim country. The Grand Mufti issues legal opinions and edicts, fatwā, on interpretations of Islamic law for private clients or to assist judges in deciding cases...
of the Supreme Muslim Council
Supreme Muslim Council
The Supreme Muslim Council was the highest body in charge of Muslim community affairs in Mandate Palestine under British control. It was established to create an advisory body composed of Muslims and Christians with whom the High Commissioner could consult...
, Orthodox
Orthodox Christianity
The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* the Eastern Orthodox Church and its various geographical subdivisions...
and Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
patriarchs. St. Barbe returned to Kenya briefly in 1976 when he acted as a special adviser to the Bahá'í delegation at a UN conference in Nairobi, in 1976.
Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
's Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga was born to an Anglican family of the Iteso ethnic group in Uganda. He became a Bahá'í, earned the title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh and was appointed as the youngest Hand of the Cause, the highest appointed position in the religion. He served the interests of the religion widely and...
in 1941 joined the British Royal Army Educational Corps and served in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, capital of Kenya. On return to Uganda he married and encountered the Bahá'í Faith in 1951. He would later become a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh
Knights of Bahá'u'lláh
The title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh was given by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, to Bahá'ís who arose to open new territories to the Faith during the Ten Year Crusade....
pioneering
Pioneering (Bahá'í)
A pioneer is a volunteer Bahá'í who leaves his or her home to journey to another place for the purpose of teaching the Bahá'í Faith. The act of so moving is termed pioneering. Bahá'ís refrain from using the term "missionary"...
to Cameroon
Bahá'í Faith in Cameroon
The Bahá'í Faith in Cameroon was established when the country was separated into two colonies - British and French Cameroon. The first Bahá'í in Cameroon was Enoch Olinga, who had left his homeland of Uganda to bring the religion to British Cameroon in 1953...
, then serving on National Spiritual Assemblies and being named the youngest Hand of the Cause. For his role in waves of Knights and the pace of the expansion of the religion in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
he was named "Father of Victories" by Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
. See also Bahá'í Faith in Uganda
Bahá'í Faith in Uganda
The Bahá'í Faith in Uganda started to grow in 1951 and in four years time there were 500 Bahá'ís in 80 localities, including 13 Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assemblies, representing 30 tribes, and had dispatched 9 pioneers to other African locations...
.
Establishment
After Mrs. Marguerite Preston's arrival in Kenya in 1945 the next phase of the Bahá'í Faith in Kenya was as part of the wide scale growth in the religion across Sub-Saharan Africa there was an intensive series of plans and goals of pioneersPioneering (Bahá'í)
A pioneer is a volunteer Bahá'í who leaves his or her home to journey to another place for the purpose of teaching the Bahá'í Faith. The act of so moving is termed pioneering. Bahá'ís refrain from using the term "missionary"...
across Sub-Saharan Africa. Particular plans to bring the religion to Uganda began in 1950 involving the cooperation of American, British, Egyptian, and Persian Bahá'í communities and reached a level of coordination and detail that materials were translated into languages widely used in Africa before most pioneers reached Africa. In 1950-1 the Bahá'ís in the United Kingdom
Bahá'í Faith in the United Kingdom
The Bahá'í Faith in the United Kingdom started in 1898 when Mrs. Mary Thornburgh-Cropper , an American by birth, become the first Bahá'í in England. Through the 1930s, the number of Bahá'ís in the United Kingdom grew, leading to a pioneer movement beginning after the Second World War with sixty...
pioneered to Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. For example in the 1951 Ted Cardell left on 7 October as pioneer for Nairobi after the untimely death of Mrs. Preston's husband. In September 1951 youth Kimani Waiyaki is noted as visiting Green Acre
Green Acre
Green Acre is a conference facility in Eliot, Maine, in the United States. It was founded by Sarah Farmer in 1894. The name Green Acre came from poet John Greenleaf Whittier, a personal friend of the Farmer family....
in the United States. Ted Cardell was perhaps the next pioneer to arrive in Kenya by April 1952. After receiving the news that Hand of the Cause Louis George Gregory
Louis George Gregory
Louis George Gregory was a prominent member of the Bahá'í Faith. In 1951 he was posthumously appointed a Hand of the Cause, the highest appointed position in the Bahá'í Faith, by Shoghi Effendi.-Early years:He was born on June 6, 1874 to African-American parents liberated during the Civil War...
had died previously on July 31, a commemorative meeting for Gregory was held in Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
at which Kenyan pioneers joined with those from Uganda
Bahá'í Faith in Uganda
The Bahá'í Faith in Uganda started to grow in 1951 and in four years time there were 500 Bahá'ís in 80 localities, including 13 Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assemblies, representing 30 tribes, and had dispatched 9 pioneers to other African locations...
) and twelve Africans. Mrs Preston and her eldest child were killed in a plane flight in early 1952 near Sicily. In December 1952 Persian pioneer 'Aziz Yazdi was able to settle in Nairobi and was joined by his wife and children by February 1953. Ursula Samandari, also a former member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom, was elected to the nine-member Local Spiritual Assembly of Nairobi in 1953. By 1955 there were eight assemblies in Kenya.
Growth
The Kenyan Bahá'í community came under the newly formed regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central & Eastern Africa in 1956, of which Nakhjavani was the Chairman and 9 more assemblies were elected in Kenya in 1957 along with three weekend schools. In Dec. 1958-January 1959 the first seven-day school in Kenya was held near KimililiKimilili
Kimilili is a town and area in Kenya's Bungoma District. The area is occupied mainly by the Bukusu and Sabaot communities. Its proximity to the fertile slopes of Mt Elgon, on the Kenya-Uganda border, has made it a trading center for agricultural goods and services...
in western Kenya covering topics on Bahá'í administration
Bahá'í administration
The Bahá'í administration or Bahá'í administrative order refers to the administrative system of the Bahá'í Faith.It is split into two parts, the elected and the appointed...
, Bahá'í history
Bahá'í history
Bahá'í history is often traced through a sequence of leaders, beginning with the Báb's May 23, 1844 declaration in Shiraz, and ultimately resting on an administrative order established by the central figures of the religion. The religion had its background in two earlier movements in the...
and Bahá'í teachings
Bahá'í teachings
The Bahá'í teachings represent a considerable number of theological, social, and spiritual ideas that were established in the Bahá'í Faith by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the religion, and clarified by successive leaders including `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'u'lláh's son, and Shoghi Effendi, `Abdu'l-Bahá's...
. Correspondence courses followed by June. By December there was progress in getting permanent centers established from among the assemblies. Extraordinary number of enrollments in Uganda and Kenya had reached the point that the institution of the Hands of the Cause were noting there were not enough Baha'is to keep up with the work of checking the enrollments - in the case of Kenya that was almost nearly twelve hundred people joined the religion in less than a year. Four regional conferences on the progress of the religion and weekend schools were held by early 1960. Hand of the Cause Musa Banani was the first Hand to visit Kenya in early 1960. Nine Kenyans were among the attendees at advanced training in 1960 though classes now used chapters from Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era by John Esslemont
John Esslemont
John Ebenezer Esslemont M.B., Ch.B. , was a prominent British Bahá'í from Scotland. He was the author of the well-known introductory book on the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, which is still in circulation. He was named posthumously by Shoghi Effendi as the first Hand of the Cause he...
while in November 1960 Hands of the Cause John Robarts
John Robarts (Bahá'í)
John Aldham Robarts was a prominent Canadian Bahá'í. He was born in 1901 in Waterloo, Ontario, to Aldham Wilson Robarts and Rachel Mary Montgomery-Campbell...
and Rahmatu'lláh Muhájir
Rahmátu'llah Muhájir
Raḥmatu'lláh Muhájir was a prominent fourth generation Bahá'í, born on 4 April 1923 in the town of 'Abdu'l-'Azím, Iran. In 1954, Dr Muhájir married Írán Furútan, the daughter of `Alí-Akbar Furútan, and together they pioneered to the Mentawai Islands of Indonesia...
toured Kenya leading up to the dedication of the mother Bahá'í House of Worship
Bahá'í House of Worship
A Bahá'í House of Worship, sometimes referred to by its Arabic name of Mashriqu'l-Adhkár ,is the designation of a place of worship, or temple, of the Bahá'í Faith...
of Africa in Uganda in January 1961. Kenyans were among the over 1500 people who attended. Following the dedication, Hand of the Cause Ruhiyyih Khanum and chairman of the regional National Assembly Ali Nakhjavani
Ali Nakhjavani
Alí-Yulláh Nakhjavání served as a member of the Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing body of the Bahá'í Faith, between 1963 and 2003....
embarked on 15 days of visiting Bahá'ís through Uganda and Kenya including seeing three regional conferences on the progress of the religion, staying in homes of fellow believers, and other events. Khanum talked to audiences about the future of African Bahá'ís and their role in the religion. The convention for the 1961 election of the regional national assembly of central and east Africa included 35 delegates from Kenya. In September 1961 a permanent Bahá'í school
Bahá'í school
A Bahá'í school at its simplest would be a school run officially by the Bahá'í institutions in its jurisdiction and may be a local class or set of classes, normally run weekly where children get together to study about Bahá'í teachings, Bahá'í central figures, or Bahá'í administration...
was setup in Kenya where courses emphasized homecraft and child rearing mixed with presentations on the religion and men supported women taking the courses. News of the openings was covered in Jet Magazine
Jet (magazine)
Jet is an American weekly marketed toward African-American readers, founded in 1951 by John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago, Illinois...
. By the end of 1961 conversions among pygmies
Pygmy
Pygmy is a term used for various ethnic groups worldwide whose average height is unusually short; anthropologists define pygmy as any group whose adult men grow to less than 150 cm in average height. A member of a slightly taller group is termed "pygmoid." The best known pygmies are the Aka,...
brought the membership of the community to about 4000 and a total of 134 assemblies. Samandari was elected to the regional National Spiritual Assembly of North East Africa (1961–70) before moving to Cameroon where she later died. In 1962 the Kenyan government took steps to officially recognize Bahá'í holy days for employees. In May Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga visited for one week in Kenya as part of an extended tour of many African countries. He spoke in Tiriki, Nandi, Nyangore, Kisii, Nairobi, Mombasa and Wundanyi. He then returned in August for another week's stay this time in Kabras. In October in addition to the permanent school weekend courses were offered emphasizing homecraft and child rearing mixed with presentations on the religion in Malakisi and Kimilili
Kimilili
Kimilili is a town and area in Kenya's Bungoma District. The area is occupied mainly by the Bukusu and Sabaot communities. Its proximity to the fertile slopes of Mt Elgon, on the Kenya-Uganda border, has made it a trading center for agricultural goods and services...
, while a permanent center was opened in South Kabras.
By January 1963 the building at the Bahá'í center in Nairobi was rebuilt and planned on hosting advanced courses on the religion. In 10 years from the founding of the first local assembly, there were 118 Local Assemblies, 346 groups, and 131 isolated Bahá'ís in early 1963. Locations for Assemblies included Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kilifi
Kilifi
Kilifi is a town on the Kenyan coast, home to many resorts. It sits on the estuary of the Rare River in Kenya. The beach itself is known as Bofa Beach and is said to be one of the best beaches in Kenya. The town lies on the Kilifi Creek between Malindi and Mombasa. Kilifi is capital of the Kilifi...
, with smaller groups in locations like Bungoma
Bungoma
Bungoma is a town in Western Province of Kenya, bordered by Uganda in the west. Bungoma town was established as a trading centre in the early 20th century. The town is the headquarters of Kenya's Bungoma District and it hosts a municipal council...
, Busia
Busia
Busia may refer to the following:Places*Busia District, Kenya*Busia District, Uganda*Busia, Uganda, the Ugandan town on the border with Kenya*Busia, Kenya, the Kenyan town on the border with UgandaPeople...
, Eldoret
Eldoret
Eldoret is a town in western Kenya and the administrative centre of Uasin Gishu District of Rift Valley Province. Lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about 2100 metres above sea level at the airport to more than 2700 metres in nearby areas...
, Embu, Kakamega
Kakamega
Kakamega is a town in western Kenya lying about 30 km north of the Equator. It is the headquarters of . The town has a population of 73,607 ....
, Kericho
Kericho
Kericho is a Kenyan County located to the South West of the country and lies within the highlands west of The Great Rift Valley. The capital of the district is Kericho town. The district home to the best of Kenyan Tea which is world famous for its brightness, attractive color, brisk flavor and...
, Kisii
Kisii, Kenya
Kisii town, located south-western Kenya, is the main urban and commercial centre in Gusii Highlands. A vibrant town, the Kisii municipality has a population of about 83,000, according to 2008 estimates. However, it has a large dependent metropolitan population of over 100,000 residents, as per the...
, Kitale
Kitale
Kitale is an agricultural town in western Kenya situated between Mount Elgon and the Cherengani Hills at an elevation of around . Its urban population was estimated at 220,000 in 2007....
, Machakos
Machakos
Machakos is a town in Kenya, 64 kilometres southeast of Nairobi. It is the capital of the Machakos District in Eastern Province of Kenya. Machakos Town is a major rural centre, and also a satellite town due to its proximity to Nairobi. Its population is rapidly growing and is 192,117...
, Malindi
Malindi
Malindi is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Galana River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa. The population of Malindi is 117,735 . It is the capital of the Malindi District.Tourism is the major industry in Malindi. The city is...
, Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
, Kisumu
Kisumu
Kisumu is a port city in western Kenya at , with a population of 355,024 . It is the third largest city in Kenya, the principal city of western Kenya, the immediate former capital of Nyanza Province and the headquarters of Kisumu County. It has a municipal charter but no city charter...
, Nyeri
Nyeri
Nyeri is a town in situated in the Central Highlands of Kenya Kenya, which was the administrative headquarters of the country's former Central Province...
, Thika
Thika
Thika is an industrial town in Central Province, Kenya, lying on the A2 road 40 km north east of Nairobi, near the confluence of Thika River & Chania River. Thika has a population of 200,000and is growing rapidly, as is the entire greater Nairobi area...
, Voi
Voi
Voi is a market town in southern Kenya, lying on the edge of the Tsavo National Park. It lies at the junction of the railway lines from Nairobi to Mombasa and Taveta. Also the Voi Sisal Estates are located near the town. Voi is also located near some Taita villages like, Ikanga and...
, Webuye
Webuye
Webuye is an industrial town in Bungoma District in the Western Province of Kenya. Located on the main road to Uganda, the town is home to the Pan African Paper Mills, the largest paper factory in the region, as well as a number of heavy-chemical and sugar manufacturers. It has a tropical climate,...
, and Wundanyi
Wundanyi
Wundanyi is a town lying in the Taita Hills of southern Kenya, west of Voi and near Ngerenyi. It is also the Headquarters of Taita-Taveta District...
. By the end of 1963 a total of 134 assemblies and 4000 Bahá'ís had held steady since 1961. Upcoming for the community was the election of its own National Spiritual Assembly
Spiritual Assembly
Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. Because the Bahá'í Faith has no clergy, they carry out the affairs of the community...
.
National organization
Form the founding the national assembly the Bahá'ís of Kenya the growing community of Bahá'ís have had a diversity of projects and activities the community have undertaken. The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Kenya was first elected in 1964. Its members were: James Wasilwa, Aziz Yazdi, Elamu Muswahili, Taherih Ala'i, Festas Mulkalama, Bonaventure Wafula, Julius Makanda, Frank Mnkoyani, and Christopher Musambai. From mid-December 1964 to mid-January 1965 a traveling Bahá'í from the Bahá'í World Center visited the Nairobi community and was interviewed on a national television program which lead to a public exchange on a national newspaper. In 1966 the National Assembly incorporated, took up ownership of the national center, and the Bahá'í Holy days were registered with the government. In 1967 Hand of the Cause William Sears dedicated the first teaching center for western Kenya. Henry Luke Duma, after joining the religion in 1965 gained a scholarship for attending college in Mississippi, USA, where he took active part in promulgating the religion. In March 1969 members of the national print media attended a public information gathering with talks and receptions following which articles were printed in English and Swahili and in June the National Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Kenya were invited to the Madaraka DayMadaraka Day
Madaraka Day, 1 June, commemorates the day that Kenya attained internal self-rule in 1963, preceding full independence from the United Kingdom on 12 December 1963.-External links:**...
observance by the office of the President of Kenya. In August Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khanum
Rúhíyyih Khanum
Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum , born Mary Sutherland Maxwell was the wife of Shoghi Effendi, the head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921–1957. She was appointed by him as a Hand of the Cause, and served an important role in the transfer of authority from 1957–1963...
toured Kenya and neighboring countries for an extended visit during which she met with Bahá'ís individually and collectively at regional conferences and civic leaders and was interviewed on a television program. After progressing with the tour in other countries she returned in mid-November where she met with more Bahá'ís and also dedicated Bahá'í centers. In 1972 Bahá'ís organized displays at an All-Africa trade show and held a March youth conference in Nakuru
Nakuru
Nakuru, the provincial capital of Kenya's Rift Valley province, with roughly 300,000 inhabitants, and currently the fourth largest urban centre in the country, lies about 1850 m above sea level...
. The youth conference was repeated in August. In early October 1972 Ruhiyyih Khánum and Violette Nakbjavani returned to Kenya after two trips across Africa - arriving in Mombasa and then stayed at week in Nairobi again with meetings for Baha'is and journalists. A one day conference was quickly assembled for youth. From Kenya they traveled to Malawi and on until their return in spring 1973. At that time they traveled for three weeks through the north east section of Kenya including Maralal
Maralal
Maralal is a small hillside market town in northern Kenya, lying east of the Loroghi Plateau within the Samburu District. It is the administrative headquarters of the Samburu people. The town has an urban population of 16,281 . The market was pioneered by some Somali settlers in the 1920s.Nearby...
, Lake Rudolf, and Marsabit
Marsabit
Marsabit is a town in northern Kenya, located 170 km east of the center of the East African Rift at 37°58' E, 2°19' N . It is located in the Eastern Province and is almost surrounded by the Marsabit National Park and Reserve...
before returning to Nairobi. In 1973 the National Spiritual Assembly of Kenya produced a songbook - "Tuimbe Pamoja, Baadhi ya Nyimbo za Baha'i". Following the convention for electing the national assembly in 1974 a national conference presented opportunities for participants from across Kenya to discuss a number of topics and classes were held on the role of the local assembly.
External and internal developments
From the mid-1970s the community formed more complex development with external and internal orientations.Involvement in external development projects
From around 1975 the Bahá'í community began to be involved in initiatives and programs for the betterment of the broader society.- In April 1975 a representative of the Bahá'í International CommunityBahá'í International CommunityThe Bahá'í International Community, or the BIC, is an international non-governmental organization representing the members of the Bahá'í Faith; it was first chartered in March 1948 with the United Nations, and currently has affiliates in over 180 countries and territories.The BIC seeks to "promote...
offered a paper on the role of some Bahá'í teachingsBahá'í teachingsThe Bahá'í teachings represent a considerable number of theological, social, and spiritual ideas that were established in the Bahá'í Faith by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the religion, and clarified by successive leaders including `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'u'lláh's son, and Shoghi Effendi, `Abdu'l-Bahá's...
in regards to the environment to the International Assembly of Non-Governmental Organizations convered with the Environment held in Nairobi. - In September 1975 Catherine Mboya, an African Bahá'í from Nairobi, treasurer of the Nairobi Bahá'í Assembly, a professional accountant and student of University of Nairobi, an officer of Maendeleo Ya WanawakeMaendeleo Ya WanawakeMaendeleo Ya Wanawake Organisation is a women's NGO that deals with issues to do with women's rights and gender equity in Kenya. It was founded by in 1952 and has approximately 600,000 groups contributing to a total membership of about two million women. It is currently chaired by Mrs...
, and international vice president of the Associated Country Women of the WorldAssociated Country Women of the WorldThe Associated Country Women of the World is the largest international organization for rural women, with a membership of nine million in over 70 countries. ACWW holds a triennial conference, most recently in Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA in 2010...
, was part of the delegation of Bahá'ís to the International Women's Year World Conference. - During the Decade for WomenInternational Women's YearInternational Women's Year was the name given to 1975 by the United Nations. Since that year March 8 has been celebrated as International Women's Day, and the United Nations Decade for Women, from 1976–1985, was also established.-International:...
, 1976–86, with the continuing growth of the Kenyan community, as the population applied the Bahá'í teachingsBahá'í teachingsThe Bahá'í teachings represent a considerable number of theological, social, and spiritual ideas that were established in the Bahá'í Faith by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the religion, and clarified by successive leaders including `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'u'lláh's son, and Shoghi Effendi, `Abdu'l-Bahá's...
there was an effect on the social position of women - "a key factor in the involvement and participation of women," "more women serving on both appointed and elected Bahá'í institutions". - The national assembly appointed a Women's Committee in 1977 to cooperate with the Regional UNICEF office in Nairobi and the Kenyan government and other NGOs in a pilot project called "Water for Health" initiated by the UNICEF/NGO Subcommittee on Women and Development. The 1979 convention for electing the national assembly had 105 delegates.
- In early 1980, partly in support of the International Year of the ChildInternational Year of the Child* Maureen Millicent Bomford founded International Year of The Child and it was endorsed by the United Nations. Maureen was born in Canterbury Punchbowl in 1930 and had four brothers. Her father was a Mayor and she always learned to appreciate the value of leadership. As the wife of a prominent...
, Kenyan Bahá'ís established two tutorial Bahá'í schoolBahá'í schoolA Bahá'í school at its simplest would be a school run officially by the Bahá'í institutions in its jurisdiction and may be a local class or set of classes, normally run weekly where children get together to study about Bahá'í teachings, Bahá'í central figures, or Bahá'í administration...
s after a conference on education for Bahá'í children. One was in Nakuru and the other in Mombasa. In support of Kenya's Year of the Handicapped, the Mombasa spiritual assembly sponsored an art contest and contributed reading materials to the "Ziwani School for the Deaf" and visited the "Port Reitz School for the Disabled" and showed a filmstrip. - In 1981 a Bahá'í pioneer in Africa since 1970 began teaching a unit on the religion as part of a class through the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Kenyatta UniversityKenyatta UniversityKenyatta University, located in Nairobi, Kenya is the second largest public university in the country . The University is located in Kahawa, about from Nairobi's city centre, along the Nairobi-Thika road.- History :...
in Nairobi. In 1983 a formulation of this work was added to survey classes for masters students of teaching degrees to include 10 hrs of lecture on the Bahá'í and BábíBábismThe Babi Faith is a religious movement that flourished in Persia from 1844 to 1852, then lingered on in exile in the Ottoman Empire as well as underground. Its founder was Siyyid `Alí Muhammad Shirazi, who took the title Báb—meaning "Gate"—from a Shi'a theological term...
faiths. - In 1982 Bahá'ís near Mombasa became involved with an NGO project to conserve fuel wood. Later the community was invited to an agro-forestry course involving making improved charcola burners: the Kenya Ceramic Jiko.
- In 1983 two Bahá'í professors gathered students and staff from the Kenya Science Teachers College for a presentation on the religion which ran over the allotted time.
- In 1984 and 1985 a number of projects began –
- Bahá'í coffee growers established a bank account and 1/3 of proceeds from their sales to go to the account which was then used for community activities.
- A literacy campaign was initiated in the Malinda region.
- Two nursery schools, a pre-primary school, and a teacher training center were operating by 1985.
- The Kenya Ceramic Jiko project was still ongoing through 1985.
- The Decade for WomenInternational Women's YearInternational Women's Year was the name given to 1975 by the United Nations. Since that year March 8 has been celebrated as International Women's Day, and the United Nations Decade for Women, from 1976–1985, was also established.-International:...
was capped by a UN International conference in Nairobi in 1985 which included some 55 Bahá'ís. There were 10 official delegates composed of 3 Counselors and other Bahá'ís from the US, Canada, 2 from Africa including Catherine Mboya. The national assembly arranged for tours of relevant Bahá'í projects in the area. - In 1989 the Bahá'ís of Kenya cooperated with the Canadian Public Health Association in an immunization campaign and it was extended with local meetings in Manawanga and Lugula 1990.
General development
While projects oriented to society at large took form internal oriented development continued.In January 1975 the Bahá'ís of Nakuru finished their center and its beautifications. In June youth organized an information booth at an agricultural show. In 1978-9 George Olinga, a son of Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga was born to an Anglican family of the Iteso ethnic group in Uganda. He became a Bahá'í, earned the title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh and was appointed as the youngest Hand of the Cause, the highest appointed position in the religion. He served the interests of the religion widely and...
, moved to Kenya and in September 1979 became one of the few surviging members of the family. In 1984 the Malindi
Malindi
Malindi is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Galana River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa. The population of Malindi is 117,735 . It is the capital of the Malindi District.Tourism is the major industry in Malindi. The city is...
region of Coast Province
Coast Province
Coast Province of Kenya, along the Indian Ocean, is one of Kenya's seven administrative provinces outside Nairobi. It comprises the Indian Ocean coastal strip with the capital city at Mombasa and is inhabited by the Mijikenda and Swahili, among others...
was the fastest growing in conversions to the religion though several were growing quickly though Bungoma
Bungoma
Bungoma is a town in Western Province of Kenya, bordered by Uganda in the west. Bungoma town was established as a trading centre in the early 20th century. The town is the headquarters of Kenya's Bungoma District and it hosts a municipal council...
was among the slowest (though nearby Kakamega
Kakamega
Kakamega is a town in western Kenya lying about 30 km north of the Equator. It is the headquarters of . The town has a population of 73,607 ....
was on the high side.) In 1985 the extension goal of Kenya, the Bahá'ís of Comoro Islands
Comoro Islands
The Comoros Islands form an archipelago of volcanic islands situated off the south-east coast of Africa, to the east of Mozambique and north-west of Madagascar. They are divided between the sovereign state of Comoros and the French overseas department of Mayotte...
, founded by Mehraban Sohaili, a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for the Comoro Islands, reached a population of 60 members. In 1988 a Bahá'í from Kenya toured Malawi where she gave talks to several groups of people.
Conventions
- In October 1976 an international conference for Africa on the progress of the religion was held in Nairobi- some 1300 Bahá'ís from 61 countries attended and speakers included Hands of the CauseHands of the CauseThe Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life, whose main function was to propagate and protect the Bahá'í Faith...
William Sears, John Robarts, Rahmatu'llah Muhájir, and Enoch Olinga, Counselor Thelma Khelgati, 'Aziz Yazdi, and member of the national assembly Catherine Mboya. There were 20 Knights of Bahá'u'lláhKnights of Bahá'u'lláhThe title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh was given by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, to Bahá'ís who arose to open new territories to the Faith during the Ten Year Crusade....
attending. The conference attendees received messages from the Universal House of JusticeUniversal House of JusticeThe Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
and was welcomed to Kenya by government minister N. W. Munoko. 'Azidi reviewed the history of the progress of the religion in Africa from its first Bábi visitor through to the then existing 34 national assemblies. Note was taken of the difficulties in EthiopiaBahá'í Faith in EthiopiaThe Bahá'í Faith in Ethiopia begins after `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote letters encouraging taking the religion to Africa in 1916. Probably the first Bahá'í to settle in the country came in early 1934 and with further pioneers by mid 1934 the first Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assembly of the country was elected...
and UgandaBahá'í Faith in UgandaThe Bahá'í Faith in Uganda started to grow in 1951 and in four years time there were 500 Bahá'ís in 80 localities, including 13 Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assemblies, representing 30 tribes, and had dispatched 9 pioneers to other African locations...
both in turmoil in 1975-6. Examples of the spread of the religion in other regions of the world were reviewed driven by pioneers where a few lead to many who joined the religion. And teachings of the religion including the role of youth, the emancipation of women and importance of family life were outlined. Translations of all talks and break out sessions were held in English, French, Persian and Swahili. A Unity Feast was held the night before the opening of the conference - an accident had cut power at the conference grounds but lighting was supplied by the headlights of the busses. Publicity of the conference included coverage by newspaper and radio including the East African StandardThe Standard (Kenya)The Standard is one of the leading newspapers in Kenya with a 20% market share. It is the oldest newspaper in the country owned by The Standard Group, which also runs the Kenya Television Network . The Standard Group is headquartered at the I&M Bank Tower in Nairobi.- History :The newspaper was...
. - In 1981 a conference of the fourteen Counselors of the Continental Board of Counsellors for AfricaInstitution of the CounsellorsThe Counsellors are part of the administrative order of the Bahá'í Faith, and are part of a greater administrative branch called the Institution of the Counsellors, established by the Universal House of Justice in 1968....
opened in Nairobi, with devotions and the reading of the message from the Universal House of JusticeUniversal House of JusticeThe Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
by its representative, the Hand of the Cause, William Sears. A decision was reached to consolidate all of Africa under one board responsible for the whole of Africa. Each country would be the primary responsibility of one counsellor and secondarily of another, though all counselors were to be free to travel to any country at need. - In 1982 the Universal House of Justice called for conference to held in honor of the 50th anniversary of the death of Bahiyyih KhánumBahiyyih KhánumBahíyyih Khánum the only daughter of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and Ásíyih Khánum. She was born in 1846 with the given name Fatimih Sultan, and was entitled "Varaqiy-i-'Ulyá" or "Greatest Holy Leaf"...
. The main conference for Africa was at LagosLagosLagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, Nigeria, 19–22 August. However satellite conferences also occurred and one was held in Nairobi in October where more than 550 Bahá'ís, mostly from rural Kenyan villages but also some from 12 African countries, attended. Pioneers organized a children's class which developed a skit presented to the audience. Hand of the Cause William Sears addressed audiences of adults and youth. The Honorable Justice Effie Owour, the first woman justice in Kenya, also addressed the audience. Several newspapers and the radio program Voice of Kenya covered the event and interest was sustained when individuals from these news outlets also attended the Birth of the Bab holy day. - In 1983 Bahá'í youth from Malava and Lutali gathered for classes on clearer understanding of the religion, its views on methods of promulgating the religion and standards of behavior and decided to organize formation of college Bahá'í clubs.
- In 1983 the Association for Bahá'í Studies held its 8th annual conference in Canada at which registrants from Kenya were included. In 1986 it held its 4th Bahá'í Studies Symposium for East, Central, and South Africa in Nairobi.
- In 1984 Bahá'ís from Kenya were among the more than 400 delegates from 15 countries which attended a two-day Bahá'í Temple Conference for the Lotus TempleLotus TempleThe Bahá'í House of Worship in Delhi, India, popularly known as the Lotus Temple due to its flowerlike shape, is a Bahá'í House of Worship and also a prominent attraction in Delhi. It was completed in 1986 and serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent...
in India whose completion was nearing. - In 1984 Nakuru Bahá'ís hosted the second national Bahá'í Women's Conference where 90 women attended and heard talks from Counselor Thelma Khelghati as well as Kingsley Dube, the United Nations Information Officer for East Africa, spoke about the importance of training youth while Dr. Eddah Oachukia, chairman of the coordinating committee for the NGO Conference of the UN Decade for Women presented on the significant role the women of Kenya can play in helping to bring about equality for women.
- Regional conferences were called for by the Universal House of JusticeUniversal House of JusticeThe Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
20 October 2008 to celebrate recent achievements in grassroots community-building and to plan their next steps in organizing in their home areas. Just two weeks later twin conferences were held - one in South AfricaBahá'í Faith in South AfricaThe Bahá'í Faith in South Africa began with the holding of Bahá'í meetings in the country in 1911. A small population of Bahá'ís remained until 1950 when large numbers of international Bahá'í pioneers settled in South Africa. In 1956, after members of various tribes in South Africa became Bahá'ís,...
and the other in Kenya. One regional conference was hosted by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Kenya in Nakuru in November 2008 and attracted over 1000 Bahá'ís: in addition to over 500 Kenyans, there were 200 from Uganda, 100 from Tanzania, 42 from Ethiopia, four from Mozambique, and three from southern Sudan. - The sixth annual National Bahá'í Women's Conference at the Nakuru Baha'i Centre was held in 1989 - among the events was a recording of a panel discussion that was broadcast later on national television.
- In 1989 a Bahá'í expert and businessman in using appropriate technologyAppropriate technologyAppropriate technology is an ideological movement originally articulated as "intermediate technology" by the economist Dr...
from Swaziland traveled through six southern and eastern African countries including Kenya training local people in the manufacture of several kinds of fence-making machines and other technologies in building, agriculture and water programs. The 10-day training courses were organized by the National Spiritual Assemblies in each of the six countries.
Stories
Through the 1960s to the 1990s many well known Bahá'ís lived in Kenya and many reported linking their spiritual lives with Kenya as it was when it started with St. Barbe and the Prestons.From 1966 to 1969 well known poet Roger White lived in Nairobi as a secretary for William and Margarite Sears and other Hands of the Cause
Hands of the Cause
The Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life, whose main function was to propagate and protect the Bahá'í Faith...
in Africa, and also dealt with a racist theatre troupe.
Attorney Helen Elsie Austin
Helen Elsie Austin
Helen Elsie Austin was an attorney, US Foreign Service Officer, and member of the Bahá'í National Spiritual Assemblies in the United States and North West Africa. She was among the first African Americans admitted to the practice of law in the United States.-Personal life:Austin was born in Alabama...
lived in Africa as a US Foreign Service Officer
Foreign Service Officer
A Foreign Service Officer is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. As diplomats, Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic...
from 1960–1970, serving as a Cultural attaché
Cultural attaché
A cultural attaché is a diplomat with special responsibility for promoting the culture of his or her homeland. The position has been used as an official cover for intelligence agents. Historically, the post has often been filled by writers and artists, giving them a steady income, allowing them to...
with the United States Information Agency
United States Information Agency
The United States Information Agency , which existed from 1953 to 1999, was a United States agency devoted to "public diplomacy". In 1999, USIA's broadcasting functions were moved to the newly created Broadcasting Board of Governors, and its exchange and non-broadcasting information functions were...
first in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and later in Nairobi where she was also a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly.
In 1986 North American indigenous Bahá'í Lee Brown gave a talk which was recorded and transcribed - it includes his description of being in Kenya sometime before and linked Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, especially Hopi
Hopi
The Hopi are a federally recognized tribe of indigenous Native American people, who primarily live on the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona. The Hopi area according to the 2000 census has a population of 6,946 people. Their Hopi language is one of the 30 of the Uto-Aztecan language...
, prophecies with the religion of the Kikuyu tribe of Kenya.
Artist Geraldine Robarts of the United Kingdom fled the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
to South Africa where she grew to adulthood and became a Bahá'í. Robarts and family fled Apartheid to Uganda where she was a lecturer in the Makerere University
Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
but then fled Idi Amin
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
, and then came to Kenya in 1972. She taught and was head of the department of Painting at Kenyatta University
Kenyatta University
Kenyatta University, located in Nairobi, Kenya is the second largest public university in the country . The University is located in Kahawa, about from Nairobi's city centre, along the Nairobi-Thika road.- History :...
. Starting as early as Uganda she worked with groups of artists to have their art appear in museums and developed a project for groups of women to show case their art as well as provide a mechanism for rural development work.
In honor of the Hand of the Cause Louis George Gregory
Louis George Gregory
Louis George Gregory was a prominent member of the Bahá'í Faith. In 1951 he was posthumously appointed a Hand of the Cause, the highest appointed position in the Bahá'í Faith, by Shoghi Effendi.-Early years:He was born on June 6, 1874 to African-American parents liberated during the Civil War...
, a number of individuals in Kenya have sought to establish an Award named the Kisii Louis George Gregory Award.
Modern community involvements and character
In the 1990s the Bahá'ís in Kenya participated in a nation-wide community health project including vaccinations, maintaining latrines and developing clean water sources.In 2005 the World Christian Database estimated the Bahá'í population at about 368,000 or about 1% of the population.
See also
- Demographics of KenyaDemographics of KenyaKenya is a multi-ethnic state in the southern Great Lakes region of East Africa. It is primarily inhabited by Bantu and Nilotic populations, with some Cushitic ethnic minorities in the north. Its total population is estimated at 41 million inhabitants as of 2011....
- :Subdivisions of Kenya
- :Category:Cities in Kenya
- :Category:Towns in Western Province (Kenya)