{{Short description|Kenyan economist and writer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Wanjirū Kìhoro | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Grace Wanjirū Kìhoro | birth_date = {{birth date|1953|9|9}} | birth_place = Kenya | death_date = {{death date and age|2006|10|12|1953|9|9}} | death_place = Nairobi, Kenya | burial_place = Nyeri, Kenya | alma_mater = {{ubl|Columbia University|University of Leeds }} | occupation = {{hlist|Economist|Writer|Feminist|Activist }} | years_active = 1982 - 2003 | citizenship = Kenya | education = {{ubl|Bachelor's in Economics|MA, PhD in Development Studies }} | known_for = {{ubl|Founder of Akina Mama wa Afrika|Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners in Kenya|ABANTU for Development}} | spouse = Wanyiri Kihoro | children = {{ubl|Wangui|Pambana|Amandla|Wairimu }} | notable_works = ''Kenya News'' | organizations = {{ubl|The Africa Centre|All African Conference of Churches|National Christian Council of Kenya|United Church Board for World Ministries }} }}
'''Wanjirū Kìhoro''' (9 September 1953 – 12 October 2006) was an economist, writer and feminist activist from Kenya. She was one of the founders of the pan-African women's organisation Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) and the [https://www.georgepadmoreinstitute.org/collections/committee-for-the-release-of-political-prisoners-in-kenya-1975-1998|Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners in Kenya][https://www.georgepadmoreinstitute.org/collections/committee-for-the-release-of-political-prisoners-in-kenya-1975-1998][https://www.georgepadmoreinstitute.org/collections/committee-for-the-release-of-political-prisoners-in-kenya-1975-1998] (CRPPK), to protest the incarceration of Kenyans during Daniel arap Moi's regime.<ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro Obituary">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/nov/23/guardianobituaries.booksobituaries | title=Wanjiru Kihoro | date=22 November 2006 |work=The Guardian | access-date=23 August 2014 | author=Haward, Patricia}}</ref><ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro">{{cite web | url=http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/obituary/37898 | title=Wanjiru Kihoro: an activist, feminist, patriot, visionary, leader, friend |work=Pambazuka News | date=19 October 2006 | accessdate=23 August 2014}}</ref>
==Education and career== Kìhoro graduated in economics from Columbia University, New York. She went on to complete an MA in development studies and a PhD at Leeds University during her working life in the late 1980s.<ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro Obituary"/><ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro"/>
In 1982, Kìhoro and her husband settled in London on exile from Kenya, at a time when Moi's arrests of dissidents had intensified, particularly of lawyers and academics. This is when she helped found the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners in Kenya (CRPPK). With other activists, Kihoro produced and wrote for ''Kenya News'', which was then investigated by Moi's government. She began work for The Africa Centre, London in 1984. Other work involved the All African Conference of Churches, the National Christian Council of Kenya and the United Church Board for World Ministries.<ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro Obituary"/><ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro"/> In 1985, she co-founded Akina Mama wa Afrika as a community-based organisation for African women. In 1992, she helped found ABANTU for Development to train African women for positions of leadership. ABANTU was set up in Nairobi, Kenya, with subsequent offices set up in Nigeria and Ghana.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.wedo.org/wedo-worldwide/africa/partner-in-focus-abantu-for-development-ghana | title=Partner in Focus | publisher=Women's Environment and Development Organization | accessdate=15 September 2014 | archive-date=20 September 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920144847/http://www.wedo.org/wedo-worldwide/africa/partner-in-focus-abantu-for-development-ghana | url-status=dead }}</ref>
She returned to Kenya with her family when the new Kibaki government came to power in 2002.<ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro Obituary"/><ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro"/>
==Death== She died in 2006 after four years spent in a coma after a plane crash. During these four years, Kìhoro's situation was contrasted with that of Terri Schiavo, with Kìhoro's husband Wanyiri Kihoro and the rest of her family unanimous in believing she should continue to be on life support at Nairobi's Kenyatta National Hospital.<ref name="Meeting 'Kenya's Terri Schiavo'">{{cite news | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4416469.stm | title=Meeting 'Kenya's Terri Schiavo' | date=6 April 2005 | agency=BBC News | access-date=23 August 2014 | author=Telewa, Muliro}}</ref> At the time of her death, she was survived by her husband, and four children: Wangūi, Pambana, Amandla and Wairimū.<ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro Obituary"/>
On her death, ''The Guardian'' commented that there were "few African women as well known as Wanjirū Kìhoro".<ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro Obituary"/> Wangui wa Goro wrote in ''Pambazuka News'': "[S]he was a leader, activist for democracy, freedom, human rights, equality and justice and always stood on the side of the oppressed, particularly women and the poor. She worked tirelessly and with courage, using her razor-sharp intellect to focus thousands, of the task at hand in creative ways which brought her knowledge and everyday life together in very practical ways."<ref name="Wanjiru Kihoro: Sister, Comrade, Friend">{{cite web | url=http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/obituary/37910 | title=Wanjiru Kihoro: Sister, Comrade, Friend | work=Pambazuka News | date=19 October 2006 | accessdate=24 August 2014 | author=wa Goro, Wangui}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [http://drwanjirukihoro.wordpress.com/about-dr-wanjiru-kihoro/ Tribute website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kihoro, Wanjiru}} Category:1953 births Category:2006 deaths Category:Alumni of the University of Leeds Category:Columbia College, Columbia University alumni Category:Kenyan feminists Category:Kenyan women writers Category:Kenyan women's rights activists Category:Kenyan writers