Kang’ethe, Justus (1900–1980)

Justus Kang’ethe became involved in the early Adventist movement in Central Kenya shortly after the Mission was established at Karura in 1933. He helped open Central Kenya to the Advent message, more particularly in Murang’a.

Early Life

Kang’ethe was born in 1900 in Murang’a, then known as Fort Hall. Colonial rule in Kenya was still in its infancy when he was born. In 1917, he began his early education at the Tumu Tumu Mission in Nyeri, founded by the Church of Scotland Mission (now the Presbyterian Church).¹ Two years later, he was initiated as part of a group from the Kahumbu location in Murang’a who chose to be circumcised in a hospital rather take part in the ancient rituals. After that, he returned to school in 1924, then went to the Thogoto College in Kikuyu where he trained as a teacher.² He qualified with a Junior Teacher’s Certificate, and in 1928, he found a job with the Sultan of Zanzibar, who wanted teachers to open up schools in Malindi, north of Mombasa.

Becoming an Adventist

After a brief period in Malindi, Kang’ethe returned to Nairobi, which was then becoming the hotbed of the African political movements. He joined the Kikuyu Central Association, soon rising to become their secretary. But then in 1933, just when the Karura Mission was established, he met the founder, Walter W. Armstrong.³ Together, they studied the Bible, and he accepted the Adventist message. When Spencer G Maxwell, the superintendent of the East Africa Union heard about Justus Kang’ethe, he appointed him a teacher at the newly established school at Karura. But then, Kang’ethe was not yet baptized when he got the appointment, which was a requirement before joining church service. Maxwell justified his decision to do so by the fact that the work in Central Kenya was severely short-handed in trying to reach such a vast territory. Kang’ethe was so eager to take the Advent message up that he accepted the teaching position on condition that he would be allowed time off to preach.

On February 23, 1935, Maxwell baptized two people at Karura, the first Kikuyu Seventh-day Adventists.⁴ One of them was Justus Kang’ethe.

Moving to Central Kenya

Kang’ethe moved to his native Murang’a and put in even more effort there. He soon created a cluster of faithfuls, and he organized the first church at Kagwathi. Soon, the church took root, and new branches emerged in Kirurumo, Rwatumu, Kaimiri, and Gitoboro. He then moved to Kirinyaga and stopped at the home of one of his former students at Karura named Elisha Matumu.⁵ He started the Kambarare Church, which was later renamed Gatumbi. Maxwell quickly noticed Kang’ethe’s passion for the gospel work and recommended that he be put on a salary and moved to the Kamagambo Training School for his ministerial training. In 1939, he moved to Kamagambo and trained to become a pastor, completing his studies in 1940 and earning a certificate in Pastoral Theology. He was in the pioneer ministerial class, which included Elisha Arunga Odero, Timotheo Otega, Malaki Osoo, Josiah Ngare, and Stephen Ngaw, all of whom were from Ranen. From Gendia were Thadayo Nyabwa, Thadayo Nyang’anga, Nathaniel Ochieng, Charles Masio, and Samuel Omondi. From Kisii were Ariel Muturi, Nemuel Olang’o, and Nathaniel Misati. From Central Kenya were Justus Kang’ethe, Benson Ngatia, and from Mombasa was David Dena.⁶ There were a total of 16 in the pioneer ministerial class at Kamagambo Training School who became the first locally trained pastors in Kenya.

Kang’ethe moved back to Central Kenya and worked even harder, moving to the upper reaches of the Central and Eastern provinces.

Reconnection with the Church

The year 1944 saw Kang’ethe serving as a district pastor in Murang’a and Nyeri. However, he abruptly resigned from the church and joined a private organization as a manager. He worked there for several years, but when an emergency was declared in Kenya (October 1952), Kang’ethe was arrested due to his earlier political activities with the now-proscribed KCA. He spent several years in detention, but as soon as he was released, he reconnected with the Adventist Church and, once again, became a fulltime evangelist.

Even as his years advanced, he still kept the fire burning, reaching out to as many people as he could. He settled in his native Kahumbu location in Murang’a county, and in 1980, he passed away at his home. He was 80 years old. He was survived by his wife, Florence Muthoni.

Legacy

In Kenya’s history books, Justus Kang’ethe’s work as a hero of the struggle against colonial rule is well known. However, he will probably be best remembered for the pioneering work as a Seventh-day evangelist and minister. Today, there are tens of thousands of people who attend the churches he pioneered in Central Kenya.

Sources

Armstrong W. W. The Advent Survey, December 1, 1933).

Maxwell, S. G. “First fruits in a new Field.” The Advent Survey, June 1, 1935.

Wangai, Frederick K. The Power of the Word: A History of Seventh-day Adventism in Central Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya: Grandmaster Empire, Nairobi, 2021.

Notes

1. Frederick K. Wangai, The Power of the Word: A History of Seventh-day Adventism in Central Kenya, (Grandmaster Empire, Nairobi, 2021), 56-57.↩

2. Ibid.↩

3. W. W. Armstrong, The Advent Survey, December 1, 1933, 1.↩

4. S. G. Maxwell, “First fruits in a new Field,” The Advent Survey, June 1, 1935, 1.↩

5. Wangai, 57.↩

6. Ibid.↩