I HAVE often been asked to what extent I knew Pio Gama Pinto and for how long we had worked together in the struggle for Independence. The answer is simple. I first met Pio when he was working for the then E.A. Indian National Congress at Desai Memorial Building in 1951, but at the same time was associated with the Kenya African Union Movement. When Emergency was declared in 1952 Pio was more in the background but always active till he was finally arrested in the notorious Operation Anvil leaving his newly married wife Emma to fend for herself.

Pio was a nationalist and socialist; a man who did so many good things for others. He put himself second to the nation in everything he thought and did. He was active, able and unassuming.

I had been transferred to Manda Island off Lamu after my acquittal in the notorious trial in the Supreme Court at Kitale. This inhospitable island was considered by the British administration to be the most suitable place for the "hard-core" and "incorrigible" detainees. On Pio's arrest he was immediately sent to Manda too where we were not at first allowed to meet except occasionally when we went to the sea to empty the camp soil buckets. Pio was confined to his own camp away from the rest of us who numbered about two hundred. Being an Asian he was given a special ration of dhal, rice, wheat, edible oil, salt and meat twice a week. Whenever there was a chance Pio shared this with us.

Many people may not know that apart from politics Pio was a good athlete and while in camp he persuaded the Camp Authorities to allow him to take part in some of the sporting activities. After permission was granted from Nairobi Pio was allowed to organise football matches and other sports. Later the Prison Officers felt that isolation was harmful to Pio so he was given a clerical job in the office of the Officer in Charge. As a journalist and fully qualified secretary this type of work suited him well and finally he convinced the Authorities beyond all doubt of his ability to work although his political stand was still doubted in Nairobi. At first we thought that Pio would obtain his release by co-operating with the Authorities as so many others had. But he stuck by our beliefs and policies. When he was put in charge of the camp canteen he used this opportunity to procure food illicitly for his comrades. Pio remained with us for almost four years when he was removed to remote Kabarnet and kept in Restriction for two years.

Speaking at a Reunion of ex-Detainees at Achieng Oneko's Home.

Pio's father had worked faithfully for the Colonial Government for 30 years and. on his deathbed asked for one favour - to see his son Pio. But the permission was refused. Pio was terribly shocked and for the first time broke down and cried on hearing of his father's death.

After much battling with the Nairobi Authorities Pio was allowed to receive letters from his wife and reply once a month but all letters were censored. However this method kept us generally informed on matters in the outside world as we were not allowed even newspapers in the camp. Whatever Pio received from home he shared with us. To stop him from quickly giving away everything I elected to be "treasurer" for, the little amounts received. It may appear amusing and strange but we discovered on the day Pio was told of his release that he had no shoes because he had given his away to those who were released earlier. He tried on mine but decided not to take them saying, "you see Ramogi, no one will notice my bare feet whereas you would shock so many if you were released today without shoes!"

To supplement our meagre diet we used to trap porcupines, wild pig and turtles and Pio took part in skinning and preparing the food. One of our comrades stitched shirts and trousers for us - entirely by hand. Pio wore these even when he was released until they fell apart! Whatever our sufferings, we were united and from this we drew strength. We studied from the few books we had and Pio also concentrated on perfecting his Swahili.

There came a time when almost everyone was giving in, and murmuring started in the camp. The Authorities had begun to engineer confusion in the camp in order to demoralise us. We realised that if we did not organise counter measures and propaganda many of us would be wrecked and give up the cause. Therefore the Top Group, that is, Mbiu Koinange, now Member of the Senate, Mwinga Chokwe, now Speaker of the Senate, J. D. Kali, now Member of Parliament, Pio and myself started a counter propaganda move. Pio was one of the "editors" and played a big role in a well organised network. It was his job to dish out information to the Lower Camp by word of mouth to our own propagandists. To the astonishment and surprise of the Camp Administration the moral of the detainees was restored and we remained hard and unpenetrable but reasonable. Towards the end the group decided to appeal to our companions to forgive as we knew release was imminent. But while we were prepared to forgive we could not forget - history cannot just be wiped away. We felt that forgetting the past was tantamount to deny part of Kenya's history. It is true that many of our "hard-core" were not bitter and it was true that Pio was never bitter on his release. We felt proud of our activities and had great hopes for the future of our country.

We, pledged to carry on the fight after our release to help create a society based on African traditions, a society in which one is his or her brother's keeper, a society of devotion and love for one another, a society of self-sacrifice and self-denial as opposed to selfishness, personal ambition and greed. I can honestly say Pio lived up to this pledge till he was assassinated.