Kimani Ng'ang'a Maruge ( – August 14, 2009) was a Kenyan man who held the
Guinness World Record
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
for being the oldest person to leave
primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...
, having enrolled on January 12, 2004, aged 84. Although he had no papers to prove his age, Maruge believed he was born in 1920.
Maruge attended Kapkenduiywo Primary School in
Eldoret
Eldoret is a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. It serves as the capital of Uasin Gishu County. Located in western Kenya and lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about at the Eldoret International Air ...
, Kenya. He said that the government's announcement of universal and free primary school education in 2003 prompted him to enroll.
In 2005 Maruge, who was a model student, was elected head boy of his school. He was handed the responsibility to orient and nurture the students in the school.
In September 2005, Maruge boarded a plane for the first time in his life. He was headed to
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
to address the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
2005 World Summit on the importance of free primary and secondary education for all.
Final years
Maruge's property was stolen by looters during the
2007–2008 post-election violence, and he contemplated quitting school. During early 2008 he lived in a refugee camp, where he was reportedly a minor celebrity, four kilometers from his school, but still attended classes every day. In June 2008, he relocated to the capital
Nairobi
Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...
.
In June 2008, Maruge was forced to withdraw from school and relocate to a retirement home for senior citizens. However, soon after, on June 10, 2008, Maruge enrolled once again into Standard 6 at the Marura primary school, located in the
Kariobangi area of Nairobi.
Film
A feature film about Kimani Maruge starring
Oliver Litondo and
Naomie Harris titled ''
The First Grader'' was released on May 13, 2011. The British-produced film was shot in the
Rift Valley
A rift valley is a linear shaped lowland between several highlands or mountain ranges produced by the action of a geologic rift. Rifts are formed as a result of the pulling apart of the lithosphere due to extensional tectonics. The linear ...
in
Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
.
Baptism
On Sunday May 24, 2009, Maruge was baptized at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Kariobangi and took the
Christian name
A Christian name, sometimes referred to as a baptismal name, is a religious personal name given on the occasion of a Christian baptism, though now most often given by parents at birth. In English-speaking cultures, a person's Christian name ...
Stephen, in honor of
St. Stephen.
[Daily Nation, May 24, 2009]
Oldest pupil now seeks to be listed in Book of Life
/ref>
Maruge was then using a wheelchair
A wheelchair is a mobilized form of chair using two or more wheels, a footrest, and an armrest usually cushioned. It is used when walking is difficult or impossible to do due to illnesses, injury, disabilities, or age-related health conditio ...
.Mau Mau Uprising
The Mau Mau rebellion (1952–1960), also known as the Mau Mau uprising, Mau Mau revolt, or Kenya Emergency, was a war in the British Kenya Colony (1920–1963) between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), also known as the Mau Mau, and the ...
against the British colonizers in the 1950s.
Death
Maruge died on August 14, 2009, of stomach cancer
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a malignant tumor of the stomach. It is a cancer that develops in the Gastric mucosa, lining of the stomach. Most cases of stomach cancers are gastric carcinomas, which can be divided into a numb ...
, at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. He was buried at his farm in Subukia.
Google Doodle
On 19 January 2015, on the 11th anniversary of his first day of school, Google's homepage Google Doodle
Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and historical figures. The first Google Doodle honored the 1998 edition of the long-running annual Bu ...
was about Kimani Maruge.[Google Doodle]
11th Anniversary of Kimani Maruge's First Day of School
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maruge, Kimani
People from Uasin Gishu County
1920s births
2009 deaths
Deaths from stomach cancer
Deaths from cancer in Kenya
Kenyan Roman Catholics
20th-century Roman Catholics
21st-century Roman Catholics